Sydney, Aug 11(ANI): Australia's catastrophic performance at the London Olympics has cost taxpayers 10 million dollars for every medal won.

Australia's archrival Great Britain, which is the host of the Games, has easily eclipsed their effort in Sydney 2000, and it also cost them seven million dollars less.

Britain is expected to finish third in the medal tally, with both countries still have medal hopes in the remaining days of competition.

The data reveals that the Australian Institute of Sport spent a record 310 million pounds of public money on the Olympics campaign.

Swimming, with one gold medal in the women's 4x100 metres freestyle relay, took nearly 39 million pounds of that, over four years.

Australia's swimmers won six gold medals in Beijing (2008) and seven in Athens (2004). (ANI)