Great Britain confirms final squad for Winter Olympics
Great Britain has confirmed a final squad of 53 athletes for next month’s Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, reports BritPanorama.
The total, boosted by the late addition of biathlon duo Jacques Jeffries and Shawna Pendry, is three more than Beijing in 2022 and just short of the record 58 athletes sent to the PyeongChang Games in 2018.
Team GB heads to Italy with an unprecedented number of medal opportunities after securing World Cup medals this season across various skeleton, bobsleigh, snowboarding, and freestyle disciplines.
British curlers currently top the world rankings in both mixed doubles and men’s events, raising hopes that the team may exceed the record five medals won in both Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang.
Jeffries, a former world junior medallist, and Pendry will be the first biathletes to represent Great Britain at a Winter Games since 2018. GB chef de mission Eve Muirhead expressed her enthusiasm about their inclusion, stating: “This moment is a testament to the hard work they’ve put into achieving the dream of standing on that Olympic stage.” She added that their team for 2026 is complete and ready for the final push towards the Games.
An ambitious target of four to eight medals has been set for Team GB at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, running from February 6 to February 22. Achieving this goal would represent Britain’s best performance at a Winter Games.
The funding body announced that approximately 55 British athletes will travel to Italy, following a substantial investment of more than £32.5 million in Lottery funding for winter sports during the current Olympic cycle.
The upper target of eight medals would significantly surpass Britain’s previous best haul, while even the minimum aim of four would double the Beijing 2022 return. Key athletes expected to contend for gold include snowboarder Mia Brookes, freestyle skiers Kirsty Muir and Zoe Atkin, curler Bruce Mouat, and skeleton racer Matt Weston, all of whom have strong chances of reaching the podium.
Weston arrives in particularly strong form, being a two-time world champion and currently leading the World Cup standings in his discipline. Brookes, Muir, and Atkin also hold historical significance, as any of them could achieve Great Britain’s first Olympic gold or silver medal on snow.
The stage is set for an exciting Winter Olympics, where Team GB’s aspirations will be closely followed, revealing just how keen the nation is to enhance its standing in winter sports.
