Could the Olympics see the start of a call for a Yorkshire republic as the county decides, justifiably, that the rest of the UK is holding it back?

The county, known as "God's own country", would be tenth in the medals table - above the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia - if it were an independent nation.

Athletes from Yorkshire have now bagged five golds, two silvers and three bronze medals, and the county has produced some of the biggest stars of the Games so far.

brownlee

Yorkshire's Alistair Brownlee reacts as he crosses the finish line to win the gold medal in the men's triathlon

The latest medallists under the "Team Yorkshire" banner are the Brownlee brothers from Leeds.

Hundreds in Leeds' Millennium Square watched Alistair Brownlee take gold in the triathlon on Tuesday, and his brother Jonny win bronze after a 15 second penalty.

Members of the Leeds Metropolitan University triathlon team, where the brothers train, were among those cheering the pair to glory.

yorkshire olympics

Fans watch Jessica Ennis win the 800 metres in the Heptathlon confirming a gold in the event, on the big screen at the Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield

Robert Bridges, a triathlete with the team, described the brothers as "sound".

He said: "This was exceptional for Alistair and getting the bronze is a fantastic achievement for Jonny."

Sheffield-born gold medal heptathlete Jessica Ennis still lives and trains in the city.

The Sheffield Star reported plans to give her the Freedom of the City.

Sheffield Council leader Coun Julie Dore said: “A homegrown gold medal winner being born and bred in the city, Jessica is truly ‘Made in Sheffield’ and we are bursting with joy to take her see Olympic gold.”

Cyclist Ed Clancy from Huddersfield, won gold in the men's team pursuit and bronze in the omnium.

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Jessica Ennis is one of the many athletes in 'Team Yorkshire'

Hebden Bridge's Andrew Triggs-Hodge was in Team GB's gold-winning men's coxless four and Katherine Copeland who won the women's lightweight double sculls is from Stokesley, both in North Yorkshire.

Team GB's first medallist Lizzie Armitstead is from Otley - taking silver in the women's road race. Northallerton's Nicola Wilson won silver in the team eventing.

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And boxer Luke Campbell, from Hull, is also guaranteed at least a bronze medal after reaching the Bantamweight semi-finals.

Former cricket umpire Dickie Bird, from Barnsley, said: "The Yorkshire competitors have done absolutely brilliant."

And, should the longed-for republic ever come into existence, the people of Yorkshire should have no problem finding someone to lead their Olympic bid to host the Games at the Don Valley Stadium.

Lord Coe might be tempted to head the bid - having been brought up in Sheffield.

Suggestions for events, under the Twitter hashtag #yorkshireolympics, have included terrier-throwing, the tripe-athalon, whippet dressage and grim-nastics.

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  • Romania's Luliana Paleu, right, and Irina Lauric paddle in women's kayak double 500m heat in Eton Dorney, near Windsor, England, at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

  • United States' Aries Merritt leads Honduras' Jeffrey Julmis in a men's 110-meter hurdles heat during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

  • Ethiopia's Tirunesh Dibaba, right, and Ethiopia's Meseret Defar compete in a women's 5000-meter heat during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

  • United States' Rachel Yurkovich competes in a women's javelin throw qualification round during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

  • China's Liu Xiang rests on a hurdle after falling in a men's 110-meter hurdles heat during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)

  • Police and spectators walk past the Olympic rings at the canoe sprint venue in Eton Dorney, near Windsor, England, at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

  • From left, Portugal's Arnaldo Abrantes, Japan's Kei Takase, and Britain's James Ellington compete in a men's 200-meter heat during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)

  • China's Liu Xiang, second left, falls as Hungary's Balazs Baji, left, and Poland's Artur Noga, right, react duing a men's 110-meter hurdles heat during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

  • United States' Wallace Spearmon reacts after competing in a men's 200-meter heat during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)

  • Swaziland's Sibusiso Matsenjwa, left, Britain's Christian Malcolm, center, and Cuba's Roberto Skyers compete in a men's 200-meter heat during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

  • Poland's Marcim Grzybowskiand and Tomasz Kaczor paddle in a men's kayak double 1000m heat in Eton Dorney, near Windsor, England, at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

  • Ann Romney, Amy Ebeling

    Ann Romney, the wife of U.S. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, right, and Amy Ebeling wave after Jan Ebeling of United States riding Rafalca performance in the equestrian dressage team competition, at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/ Dmitry Lovetsky)

  • Norway's Goril Snorroeggen, left, scores past Brazil's goalkeeper, Chana Masson, center, during their women's handball quarterfinal match at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

  • Norway's Ida Alstad, takes a shot at Brazil's goal during their women's handball quarterfinal match at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

  • Norway's Goril Snorroeggen, right, is blocked by Brazil's Eduarda Amorim, left, during their women's handball quarterfinal match at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

  • Japan's Kei Takase jumps before competing in a men's 200-meter heat during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)