High performance system the English Institute of Sport (EIS) has devoted almost one million hours of support to elite athletes over the past four years at a cost of £59.8m (US$86.4m, €75.9m).

Over the four-year cycle to Rio 2016, the EIS has supported 1,100 athletes hoping to make the Olympic and Paralympic Games this year, with EIS practitioners delivering 950,000 hours at an average of 4,500 hours per week.

More than 350 EIS staff have offered support to athletes training for 30 Olympic and Paralympic sports, helping them improve performance through expertise in science, medicine, technology, mental health and wellbeing, performance analysis, performance lifestyle, strength and conditioning, and nutrition.

The funding – which has been allocated by elite sport quango UK Sport – comes as a result of the EIS working with 86 per cent of Team GB athletes that won medals during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Nigel Walker, national director of the EIS, said Britain is the “envy of many around the world” in terms of funding and support for elite athletes.

“We remain on track for huge success at Rio 2016 and thanks to ongoing support from UK Sport, the government and National Lottery, planning for Tokyo 2020 is well advanced,” he added.

UK Sport chief executive Liz Nicholl added: “The thousands of hours of world-class scientific, medical and technological expertise provided by the EIS each week to our Olympic and Paralympic athletes is key to ensuring they are the best prepared British athletes ever.”