Team GB has real medal hopes in the final days of the Games
Thirty years ago, when the Premier League was just kicking off and the Gallagher brothers were just a couple of young upstarts making a name on the Manchester scene, Team GB returned home from the Winter Olympics empty-handed.
The team didn’t secure a single medal at Albertville in 1992. They didn’t in 1988 either. Now, five days out from the end of Beijing 2022, Team GB is yet to stand on the podium despite having gold-medal hopes going in.
But there’s still a chance. Yes, the curling is still to come.
Here’s what you need to know about our team’s performance this year, and how it compares to previous Games. There’s plenty to smile about.
Happier times – Team GB performance at Sochi and Pyeongchang
The 2010s was a period of unprecedented success for Brits at winter games. In both Sochi 2014 and Pyeongchang 2018, Team GB picked up a record-equalling five medals.
At both games our solitary gold was won by Lizzie Yarnold in the skeleton, with Team GB coming home with a silver and three bronzes from Russia and four bronzes from South Korea.
Sochi was a great success. Jenny Jones became the first ever Brit to win a medal on snow when she secured bronze in the slopestyle snowboarding, Lizzie Yarnold became the second consecutive Brit to win gold in the skeleton, after Amy Williams won the title in 2010, and we won a bronze and silver in the curling.
And three years later, the British four man bobsleigh team were bumped up from fifth in the 2014 event to third after the Russian teams that finished first and fourth were disqualified for doping.
Pyeongchang was arguably even more successful. Izzy Atkin was awarded Great Britain’s first ever skiing medal by winning bronze in the women’s slopestyle, Lizzie Yarnold became the first British athlete to retain a Winter Olympic title when she yet again won gold in the skeleton, and Team GB experienced its most successful day in Winter Olympics history by winning three medals on Day 8.
.@TheYarnold and @skeletonlaura secure #TeamGB's best day at a Winter Olympics ever, after Izzy Atkin's bronze earlier today.
@TheYarnold – 🥇@skeletonlaura – 🥉#IzzyAtkin – 🥉#WeAreTheGreat pic.twitter.com/BLxWDAYzAc
— Team GB (@TeamGB) February 17, 2018
Near-misses and heartbreaking disappointments
In both 2014 and 2018, the target for Team GB had been five medals. This year it was between three and seven. There were plenty of medal hopefuls before Beijing 2022, but one by one they’ve fallen away.
The British pair of Jenn Dodds and Bruce Mouat were world champions and favourites for gold in the mixed doubles curling, but were defeated in the semi finals and the bronze medal match.
Charlotte Banks is world number 1 in snowboard cross and was competing in her first Olympics for GB, having previously represented France. Despite being favourite for gold, the 26-year-old suffered a shock quarter final exit.
Charlotte Bankes is out. 💔
That race had SO MANY twists and turns! 🤯
Brilliant entertainment, but it's not the result #TeamGB wanted.
Watch LIVE on @BBCTwo. https://t.co/yhmw4TrCm9#bbcolympics #Beijing2022 #snowboard https://t.co/3Ts9PvWjDM
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) February 9, 2022
There was also cautious optimism for Dave Ryding, who last month became the first Briton to win an alpine skiing World Cup gold. Sadly, it wasn’t to be for him in Beijing, as he finished 13th in the men’s slalom.
And then there was the skeleton disaster. Before Beijing, Britain had the proud record of having won a medal in the skeleton at every Games since 2002, the first time it was included.
This year, 2018 bronze medallist Laura Deas finished 19th, whilst Brogan Crowley finished 22nd out of 25 competitors.
🗣 “I’m sorry I couldn’t deliver something better for you.”
An emotional and heartbroken Laura Deas leaves a final message for the fans as Team GB don’t win a medal for the first since 2002 in the skeleton event 😭 💔 #beijing2022 | @teamgb | @skeletonlaura pic.twitter.com/JFHaHb46Ox
— Eurosport (@eurosport) February 12, 2022
There have been several grumblings about the quality of the sleds and equipment Team GB athletes were using.
In events like skeleton and bobsleigh, non-wintry countries like Britain can only gain an advantage by spending big on developing quality sleds and getting those marginal gains. This didn’t happen this year.
Despite the lack of medals, it’s not been all bad news though.
Notable achievements and hope for the future
There have been some significant moments for Team GB at these games, the most notable of which was Cornelius Kersten becoming the first long track speed skater to represent Great Britain in 30 years.
And what a Games it has been for the youngest member of Team GB, Kirsty Muir. Competing in her first Olympics at the age of 17, the Scot finished an impressive fifth in the Big Air final last week. She then reached the freeski slopestyle final, finishing eighth.
The run that clinched that finals spot.
Kirsty Muir is having some Olympics out here. #TeamGB #Beijing2022https://t.co/aDTwObCgHi
— Team GB (@TeamGB) February 14, 2022
Muir will definitely be a name to watch out for, and is sure to carry plenty of British medal hopes at the 2026 Milano Cortina Games.
🗣️ "I really just wanted to go for it"
An emotional Kirsty Muir reflects on reaching two finals in her first ever Olympics.
📺💻📱 Follow live ⬇️https://t.co/UIJJu3mBN0…#BBCOlympics #Beijing2022 https://t.co/1YEK0uJPVl
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) February 15, 2022
But in the immediate future, the big question is…
Will we win a medal in Beijing?
Fear not, the answer to this is a pretty confident… probably. As usual with Team GB at the Winter Olympics, it’s best to look to curling.
Although he missed out on a medal in the mixed doubles, Bruce Mouat and his men’s side look a force to be reckoned with in the men’s curling. They have guaranteed their place in the semi finals, winning seven of their eight round robin games so far, and it would be a major shock if they didn’t at least pick up a bronze.
Six in a row!
Another winning performance 💪#TeamGB | #Beijing2022 pic.twitter.com/J1xPZOslR0
— Team GB (@TeamGB) February 16, 2022
It’s looking much more sketchy for Eve Muirhead’s rink though. After a shock 8-4 loss to China on Tuesday morning, the team’s chances of reaching the semis are in real danger. They’ll need to win their final game and see other results go their way to have a shot at a medal match.
The final round robin games for both the men and women take place in the early hours of Thursday.
Staying on the ice, there’s also a decent chance of Team GB coming away with a medal in the four-man bobsleigh. Brad Hall’s team have had an impressive season with a number of podium finishes in World Cup events.
Whilst it would be a huge shock to see the gold go anywhere other than Germany, the British quartet are one of a number of teams who will fancy their chances for a silver or bronze. The four-man bob competition gets underway on Saturday.
Having said that, Hall will need to improve in his showing in the two-man event…
Team GB’s medal hopes in the two-man bobsleigh are ended as they crash on their third run. Both pilot Brad Hall and brakeman Nick Gleeson were unharmed and will compete in the four-man event (Alex Pantling/Getty)And finally there’s Zoe Atkin, who will be competing in the freeski halfpipe. The 19-year-old is the younger sister of Pyeongchang history-maker Izzy Atkin, and took a bronze in last year’s world championship.
🙌 Zoe Atkin's impressive form continued in Aspen last night
🥈 The 18-year-old claimed silver in the sole World Cup halfpipe event of the season, following up her bronze at the World Championships earlier this year pic.twitter.com/SmXMBH60KX
— Team GB (@TeamGB) March 22, 2021
She’ll get her campaign underway on Thursday when qualification for the final on Friday gets underway.
So let’s not wallow like it’s 1992 just yet. Even if we do come away from Beijing 2022 with no medals, it will not be the end of the world. There’s no such thing as a guarantee in sport, especially winter sports which are some of the most dangerous and unpredictable you could imagine.
We’ve been treated to unprecedented success at the last two Winter Olympics. Let’s hope for just a little bit more before Sunday.
Related links:
- Kamila Valieva allowed to compete at Winter Olympics amid doping concerns
- Why Piers Morgan is so wrong about bronze – regards, Team GB!
- Who is the Messi/Ronaldo/Mbappe of the Winter Olympics?
- Everything you didn’t know about the Winter Olympics
