As was the case in Tokyo six months ago, each National Olympic Committee is able to nominate one female and one male athlete as flagbearers for the ceremony at the National Stadium.

Muirhead, skip of the women’s curling team and Sochi 2014 bronze medallist will march at the head of the delegation alongside alpine skier, Dave Ryding. Both were selected from a group of athletes nominated to Team GB by sports. The nominees were chosen by their respective sports as athletes that exemplify the Olympic Winter Values and uphold the Team GB Values of Pride, Responsibility, Respect and Unity.

The final selection for the honour was made by a panel headed by Team GB Chef de Mission, Georgina Harland, with the athletes being invited to lead the delegation over the last 48 hours.

Muirhead and Ryding follow in the footsteps of some of Team GB’s winter Olympic greats including Lizzy Yarnold, Rhona Martin and Shelley Rudman and it will be 90 years since Great Britain’s flag was first carried by a woman in Lake Placid in 1932 by Mollie Phillips.

Muirhead and her teammates steered their way to Olympic qualification as they overcame a slow start to win the qualification tournament. This win came hot on the heels of being crowned European champions where they beat both the reigning Olympic champions, Sweden, and double world champions Switzerland. The women’s curlers start their competition on 10 February and will renew their rivalry against Switzerland.

Dave Ryding

Ryding couldn’t be in better form coming into the Games following his and Great Britain’s first ever Alpine World Cup victory in Kitzbuehel, Austria. Ryding will compete in the slalom competition from 16 February.

Speaking from Team GB’s apartments in the Beijing Olympic Village, Muirhead said: “I feel incredibly honoured to be chosen as the flagbearer for Team GB. Getting to my fourth Games has been one of the greatest challenges of my entire career but my pursuit of qualifying for Beijing has been relentless and this is an immense privilege.

“It is an experience that will mark the start of what I hope will be the most rewarding of Olympic campaigns to date and a memory I know my family and friends will, like me, remember forever.”

Ryding, who will be based in Yanqing and compete at the National Alpine Ski Centre, said: “As a British Olympian, it is the greatest honour to be asked to carry our country’s flag. Many amazing athletes have been chosen to do this role in the past and it goes without saying that it is one of the proudest moments of my career.

“I have always represented Team GB with the greatest of pride and for my fourth Olympics this will make it extra special. I am one of 50 Winter Olympians representing Team GB in Beijing, we are part of an amazing country and I know we will give our upmost to perform to the best of our abilities out here.”

Team GB Chef de Mission for Beijing 2022, Georgina Harland, said: “It’s a great privilege to confirm two such deserving athletes to carry the Union flag at the Opening Ceremony on Friday. It was a great honour to speak to both of them and to hear their excitement about the prospect of marching at the head of the delegation.

“Eve and Dave have earned this opportunity, not just for their performances on the field of play over the last four Olympic Games, and in the lead-up to these Games, but the brilliant role models and people they are. I hope their moment as flagbearers will be everything they hope it to be.

With thanks to Team GB

Izzy Atkin (slopestyle bronze – Pyeongchang 2018), Laura Deas (skeleton bronze – Pyeongchang 2018) and Eve Muirhead (curling bronze – Sochi 2014) all enjoyed medal success at previous Games while Muirhead, Andrew Musgrave, Dave Ryding and Andrew Young all return for their fourth Olympic Winter Games as part of an exciting blend of experience and young talent competing at the 24^th Winter Games.

In a late flurry of announcements last week, bobsleigh, skeleton and ski and snowboard athletes were confirmed bringing the team total to 49, 21 of whom are returning Olympians, from 11 disciplines.

The 50^th and final British athlete confirmed for Beijing 2022 is speed skater, Ellia Smeding, who was confirmed shortly before the whole team announcement was made and will compete in the 1000m and 1500m in Beijing.

Smeding, who joins Cornelius Kersten, is the first female long track speed skater to represent Team GB in 42 years. The 23-year-old set a series of new personal bests and national records throughout the World Cup qualifying process. Over the course of seven days in December the 23-year-old set a new national record in each of the 500m, 1000m and 1500m.

Speaking after being confirmed as Team GB’s final athlete, Smeding, said: “Being part of Team GB in Beijing is an absolute dream come true. This season has gone really well so far, and I’m hoping to put my best races down at the Games. I’m so excited to share this experience with Cornelius, and to have two long track speed skaters at the Olympic Winter Games will hopefully inspire a future generation of skaters.”

The athletes will be departing the UK over the next 10 days before competition starts on 2 February with the mixed curling and the Opening Ceremony on the evening 4 February. Updates from every Team GB sport and athlete can be followed throughout the Games via the Team GB app as well as on TeamGB.com and across social media channels.

The first athletes to be confirmed for the team were the men’s curling team of Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie, Hammy McMillan, Bruce Mouat (skip) and Ross Whyte (alternate) back in October, with the mixed curling duo of Jennifer Dodds and Mouat also being announced.

With 50 days to go until the commencement of the Games, Team GB announced its second team with three athletes being selected to compete in the figure skating. Natasha McKay was selected to compete in the women’s singles with the pairing of Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson skating in the ice dance.

Familiar faces made up the short track speed skating team announcement as Pyeongchang Olympians Kat Thompson and Farrell Treacy were selected for their second Games with Treacy’s younger brother Niall being selected for his first Games. The Treacy brothers are one of three sets of siblings at the Games, along with the Atkins and the Gerken-Schofields.

The women’s curling team completed the team announcements for 2021 as four-time Olympian Muirhead’s rink was confirmed with four Olympic debutants of Jennifer Dodds, Hailey Duff (alternate), Milli Smith and Vicky Wright joining the Sochi bronze medallist. They will hope to emulate Rhona Martin’s rink who brought home gold 20 years ago in Salt Lake City with the famous ‘Stone of Destiny’.

Team GB began the Winter Olympic year by selecting a long track speed skater for the first time in 30 years as Cornelius Kersten was chosen to compete in China at the National Speed Skating Oval.

Soon after Rupert Staudinger kicked off a run of sliding sport selections as the 24-year-old returned for his second Games having finished 33^rd in Pyeongchang.

Laura Deas headed up a four-person group of skeleton athletes to be selected for Beijing. Deas will be hoping to build on her brilliant bronze in Pyeongchang and continue the incredible British skeleton legacy. She is joined by the next generation of sliding talent with Brogan Crowley, Matt Weston and Marcus Wyatt all hoping to show what they can do in Beijing.

With competition running right up to the wire, Team GB’s bobsleigh crews were confirmed soon after with Brad Hall and Mica McNeill being confirmed as pilots of their respective crews and in so doing became double Olympians. Hall will pilot both a 2-man and 4-man bob with Greg Cackett, Nick Gleeson and Taylor Lawrence teaming up in the 4-man and Gleeson joining Hall in the 2-man. Double Olympian, Ben Simons, will be in Beijing as travelling reserve.

In the women’s bobsleigh, Mica McNeill will hope to build on Team GB’s best ever result of eighth in the women’s discipline four years ago. She was joined by dual summer and winter Olympian, Montell Douglas, who competed at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in athletics and will become the first British female to compete in both a summer and winter Games. Adele Nicoll will act as the travelling reserve athlete for the women’s crew.

As is always historically the way, ski and snowboard were the last team to be confirmed prior to the whole team announcement with 18 skiers and three snowboarders being selected. Nine athletes were selected for the first time, while 12 squad members made a return.

In alpine skiing, four-time Olympian, Dave Ryding, was joined by Billy Major, Charlie Guest and Alex Tilley.

A strong freestyle skiing contingent saw Lloyd Wallace selected in the aerials, the Gerken-Schofield sisters in the women’s moguls for the first time and Will Feneley in the men’s. Another debutant Ollie Davies will look to make his mark in the ski cross event while three-time Olympian and medallist (for Team USA) Gus Kenworthy will be in action in the men’s halfpipe.

Zoe Atkin will represent Team GB in the women’s halfpipe while older sister and Pyeongchang bronze medallist Izzy will be in action in the slopestyle and big air along with Kirsty Muir, Team GB’s youngest athlete at 17 years and nine months, as well as Katie Summerhayes. In the men’s event double Olympian, James Woods, will hope to improve on his fourth place in Pyeongchang.

Team GB will compete across three disciplines in the snowboard competition with Charlotte Bankes drawing a lot of interest after becoming Britain’s first World Champion in the snowboard cross in late last February. Huw Nightingale will compete in the men’s snowboard cross, while Katie Ormerod will look to put behind her the nightmare injury from training in Pyeongchang and show the world what she can do in the snowboard slopestyle and big air.

Finally, a strong cross-country skiing contingent will take to the National Cross-Country Centre with two four-time Olympians in Andrew Musgrave and Andrew Young and Olympic debutant James Clugnet making up the trio.

Speaking ahead of the whole team announcement, Team GB Chef de Mission, Georgina Harland, said: “We are delighted to welcome the 50 athletes who will make up the team at Beijing 2022 and feel these athletes have the opportunity to not only challenge established winter nations but compete with the success we enjoyed at both Sochi and Pyeongchang.

“This is an exciting new chapter for British winter sport with a number of new names for the British public to enjoy and get behind and with athletes who have experienced four Olympic Winter Games, they will undoubtedly be a great support to the emerging talent.

“It promises to be a fantastic Olympics and Team GB will go into the Beijing Games as one of the best prepared teams and one that will be competitive across more disciplines than ever before.”

“It promises to be a fantastic Olympics and Team GB will go into the Beijing Games as one of the best prepared teams and one that will be competitive across more disciplines than ever before.”

As with the last Olympic Winter Games coverage from Beijing will be across both the BBC and Eurosport. BBC Sport will broadcast more than 300 hours of live coverage across BBC One and BBC Two, with even more on BBC iPlayer, Red Button and the BBC Sport Website.

Team GB fans in the UK can also watch all the action from Beijing via discovery+, Eurosport 1 and 2, three dedicated pop-up channels, and the Eurosport App. Discovery will have over 1,000 hours of live-coverage and more than 100 winter sports stars and presenters, as well as immersive technology exclusive to Discovery+ and Eurosport, including the Cube studio.

With thanks to Team GB

The British Olympic Association (BOA) has today announced the 18 skiers and three snowboarders selected to represent Team GB at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

GB Snowsport athletes will represent the nation in nine disciplines during the Games, with nine athletes selected for Team GB for the first time.

For the remaining twelve squad members, Beijing will mark a return to the Olympic Winter Games, with alpine skier, Dave Ryding, and nordic skiers Andrew Musgrave and Andrew Young each set to appear in their fourth Olympic Winter Games.

Reigning snowboard cross World Champion, Charlotte Bankes, and Sochi 2014 silver medallist, Gus Kenworthy, will each be competing in their third Olympic Winter Games, but their first for Team GB, Bankes having represented France in 2014 and 2018, and Kenworthy the USA.

The athletes head to Beijing in excellent form, with promising early season results across all disciplines and, in Bankes, a reigning World Champion and current World Cup points leader in Snowboard Cross.

The 11 male and ten female athletes selected will be looking to build on Britain’s recent successes in international ski and snowboard competition, which includes five FIS, Europa Cup and World Cup podium positions from this season alone.

Dave Ryding, Alpine World Cup squad member and three-time Olympian, said: “It’s such a huge honour to be named as part of Team GB again, and I can’t wait to get out there and get racing. As athletes, we take all our competitions seriously, but there’s something undeniably special about representing the country at an Olympic Games.

“This is a really exciting time for British skiing and snowboarding, and like the whole squad I’m looking forward to giving my all in Beijing.”

Georgie Harland, Team GB Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games Chef de Mission, said:

“With just two weeks to go until the Beijing 2022 Olympic Ceremony I am delighted to welcome the 21 ski and snowboard athletes selected today to Team GB, for our final sport team announcement.

“It is great to see representation across more disciplines than we have taken to a Games before and equally fantastic mix of both youth and experience as we welcome nine Olympic debutants to the team.

“The squad has proved themselves to be extremely competitive on the world stage over the past few seasons and I look forward to seeing them perform on the Olympic stage in just a couple weeks’ time.”

Vicky Gosling, GB Snowsport Chief Executive, also paid tribute to the selected athletes, saying: “Whatever the outcome in the coming weeks, this is an incredibly exciting squad, and every athlete selected deserves huge congratulations for their efforts to reach this point. We are enormously grateful to UK Sport, the National Lottery, the British Olympic Association, and all our supporters and partners for their backing over the past few years and for helping us prepare such a richly talented squad for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

“I would also like to pay tribute to the work of all our coaches, physios, sport scientists, technicians, support and admin staff, and every other team member who has helped prepare the team for the Olympic Winter Games. The strength of this squad is a testament to all the hard work which has gone on behind the scenes over the past four years.”

GB Snowsport Head Coach, Pat Sharples, added: “I’m so proud of every single athlete who’s been selected for the Olympic Winter Games squad today. Behind every name on this list is a huge amount of hard work, determination, and commitment, and every single squad member really deserves their place.

“It’s true, though, that the hard work is only just beginning. The next few weeks are going to be a huge challenge, but we back every athlete on this squad to do themselves and their country proud in Beijing.”

FULL LIST OF ATHLETES SELECTED TO REPRESENT TEAM GB IN BEIJING:

Alpine:
Men’s
Billy Major*
Dave Ryding

Women’s
Charlie Guest
Alex Tilley

Freestyle Ski:

Aerials
Lloyd Wallace

Moguls – Women’s
Leonie Gerken-Schofield*
Makayla Gerken-Schofield*

Moguls – Men’s
Will Feneley*

Ski Cross
Ollie Davies*

Freeski Halfpipe – Men’s
Gus Kenworthy

Freeski Halfpipe – Women’s
Zoe Atkin*

Freeski Slopestyle & Big Air – Men’s
James Woods

Freeski Slopestyle & Big Air – Women’s Team
Izzy Atkin
Kirsty Muir*
Katie Summerhayes

Cross Country:

James Clugnet*
Andrew Musgrave
Andrew Young

Snowboard:

Snowboard Cross – Men’s
Huw Nightingale*

Snowboard Cross – Women’s
Charlotte Bankes

Snowboard Slopestyle & Big Air
Katie Ormerod

Brad Hall and Mica McNeill will pilot British crews in the 2-man, 4-man and women’s bobsleigh, with both having also represented Team GB at the last Games in PyeongChang four years ago.

Hall with be joined by Pyeongchang 2018 Olympians Nick Gleeson in the 2-man event, with Greg Cackett and Olympic debutant Taylor Lawrence chosen for the 4-man team and two-time Olympian Ben Simons selected as the travelling reserve.

Montell Douglas, who competed for Team GB at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in athletics, will team up with McNeill in the women’s bobsleigh with Adele Nicoll travelling as the reserve athlete for the women’s team.

Hall and his crew have enjoyed a stellar season so far, winning an incredible six medals on the World Cup circuit and another at the Olympic Test Event in China in October. Thirty-one-year-old Hall, Royal Marine Lawrence, Paratrooper Gleeson and former sprinter Cackett finished fourth in the 4-man world rankings and fifth in the 2-man as they recorded the country’s most successful men’s season since the 1990s.

Team GB Chef de Mission for Beijing 2022, Georgina Harland, said: “Today’s announcement is another step closer to bringing our whole team together for Beijing 2022 and an exciting moment for the selected athletes. What these crews have done on the World Cup circuit this season has been sensational and they’ll be hoping to take that form and also the success enjoyed at the test events into the Games and show everyone in the UK what they can do. With the Opening Ceremony just two weeks away I hope the athletes can really start to get excited for what will be a special moment in their careers.”

Speaking after the team was announced, Brad Hall, said: “I’m honoured to be selected to represent Team GB again and I know the rest of my crew feel exactly the same. We’ve had a great season so far and we’re hoping to carry that momentum into the Games.

“We said at the start of the season that we wanted to be competing with the best in the world on a consistent basis and we’ve shown that we can do that. The boys have regularly been among the best starters in the world, too, and we’re heading to Beijing full of confidence.

“We’re at the business end of the season and it’s now all about giving it everything we’ve got at the Olympics, knowing that we’ve got a realistic chance of coming home with a medal.”

McNeill, who registered Team GB’s best-ever Olympic result in women’s bobsleigh when she finished eighth four years ago, also made the World Cup podium this season as she and Nicoll won a maiden World Cup silver in Sigulda earlier this month.

“I am very excited to get onto the plane to Beijing next week for my second Olympic Games!” said McNeill, who won Youth Olympic silver in Innsbruck in 2012.

“It’s been a very different journey to the Games this time round but I’ve loved every moment of making it happen. I can’t wait to get back on the ice out there and represent Team GB.”

Sochi 2014 bronze medallist and Beijing 2022 Team Leader, Bruce Tasker, said: “It’s really exciting heading into an Olympic Games with teams producing their best results ever. You cannot ask more of an athlete than to be the best they have ever been and both teams have achieved record performances this year.

“The pandemic has thrown the teams huge challenges but the resolve and determination of the athletes has been inspiring. No hope has been lost and these teams that are already at a disadvantage with no home track to practice on continue to challenge for and win medals on the global stage. I am immensely proud of each and every one of them.

“The hard work and preparation has been done now. The teams know what they need to do and how – it’s just about execution of the plan, and I’m confident in their ability do that.”

Team GB will be competing in three disciplines at Beijing 2022 (2-man, 4-man and women’s bobsleigh), with each race taking place over four runs across two days.

The first two heats of the 2-man’s race take place on Monday 14 February from 12.05pm GMT and heats 3 and 4 follow at 12.15pm on Tuesday 15 February.

The women’s competition is scheduled for Friday 18 February and Saturday 19 February, with a 12pm GMT start on both days.

The 4-man competition begins at 1.30am GMT on Saturday 19 February before bringing the curtain down on the Games events at the same time on Sunday.

TEAM GB BOBSLEIGH TEAM

2-Man

Brad Hall
Nick Gleeson

Alternate: Greg Cackett

4-man

Brad Hall
Taylor Lawrence
Nick Gleeson
Greg Cackett

Alternate: Ben Simons

Women’s

Mica McNeill
Montell Douglas

Alternate: Adele Nicoll

With thanks to Team GB

Laura Deas

It is a second Games for Deas, who won bronze behind champion and compatriot Lizzy Yarnold at PyeongChang 2018, while Crowley, Weston and Wyatt will all be making their Olympic debuts when the skeleton events take place from 10-12 February.

Deas said: “Being selected for a second Olympic Games feels like a huge honour and it’s something I’ve worked incredibly hard to achieve. Pulling on Team GB kit always makes me feel like I can do something special and, heading to Beijing, I will be aiming to do just that.”

Crowley added: “It’s pretty emotional and I still don’t think it’s sunk in yet. I am so proud that I have been selected to represent Team GB at the Olympics, and it makes it even more special for me after the ups and downs of the last few years.

“I can’t wait to put on the kit and head back out to Beijing and slide. I will enjoy every minute of it and the motivation to go out and compete is really high.”

Weston, a gold-medallist on the World Cup circuit this year, said: “I still can’t believe it’s real! Being selected to not only go to an Olympics but be aiming for medals is a dream I have had since I can remember. I can’t wait to head back out to the best track I’ve raced on this season and enjoy every moment.”

Wyatt, who won Olympic Test Event silver in October on the track being used for the Games, said: “To be selected for the Olympic Games is literally a dream come true. Although this season has been tough, I’m really excited to go out to Beijing with the aim of competing for a medal.”

All four athletes train with the British Bobsleigh & Skeleton Association (BBSA), which has enjoyed outstanding medal success during the two decades since the UK’s only push-start track was built on the University campus following Team Bath’s successful bid for National Lottery funding.

Alex Coomber won bronze at Salt Lake City in 2002, then Shelley Rudman took silver at Turin 2006 before University of Bath graduate Amy Williams was crowned Olympic Champion in thrilling fashion at Vancouver 2010.

Yarnold took the crown at Sochi 2014 and became the first British winter-sport athlete to successfully defend her Olympic title four years ago, where she was joined on the podium by Deas. There was also bronze in the men’s race for Dom Parsons who, at the time, was combining skeleton with a PhD in Mechanical Engineering at the University.

As well as honing their start – a crucial factor in setting a fast time on the ice – on the push track, the skeleton athletes also train in the high-performance gym and on the indoor and outdoor athletics tracks at the £35million Team Bath Sports Training Village, which is also home to a host of Summer Olympic and Paralympic champions from Tokyo 2020.

Team GB will announce the bobsleigh squad for Beijing later this week. Visit teambath.com/Beijing2022 for the latest Winter Olympic news and a guide to who is competing and when .

With thanks to the Team Bath Press Office at Matchtight 

Dodds is one of four Olympic debutants making the trip, along with vice skip Vicky Wright, lead Hailey Duff and alternate Mili Smith.

The team will be confident going into the Games having beaten reigning Olympic champions, Sweden, and the winners of the last two World Championships, Switzerland, on the way to winning last month’s European Championships. They then overcame a rocky start to top the table at this month’s Olympic Qualifying Event to confirm their place in Beijing.

Speaking after selection, Muirhead explained how the way they have all earned their places has added to the experience: “It means a huge amount to be going to my fourth Olympics. This one is extra special in terms of going to the Games with four girls who have never competed in an Olympic Games before. It makes me very proud of them to have got this far and to have proven that they are capable of having Great Britain on their back playing against some of the world’s best.

“There’s been a very different build-up to this Olympic Games and I do think this has to be one of my biggest personal achievements, getting to this Olympics on the back of the disappointment of the World Championships last season and not qualifying Great Britain straight through which was hard.”

Commenting on selection, Team GB Chef de Mission for the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, Georgia Harland, said: “I am delighted to welcome the women’s curling team to Team GB for the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

“A huge congratulations to Eve who makes history attending her fourth Games as skip and also to Jen who makes history alongside mixed doubles partner Bruce Mouat in competing for Team GB in two curling events at a Games.

“It was fantastic to see Eve and her team top the Olympic Qualifying Event last week and I have no doubt they will take that confidence and momentum through with them to the Games in February and put on a fantastic show for Team GB.”

For the British Curling programme, the achievement of the women’s team represents a further demonstration of the benefits of taking an innovative approach to the last two challenging seasons.

“The successes enjoyed by our men’s and mixed doubles teams confirmed that we were on the right track, but introducing the nine-player squad system, which allowed us to examine and build upon our strength and depth in the women’s game has been an additional success,” said British Curling’s Executive Performance Director, Nigel Holl.