Great Britain has confirmed a final squad of 53 athletes for next month’s Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina.
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.
But Team GB head to Italy with an unprecedented number of medal chances after claiming World Cup medals this season across various skeleton, bobsleigh, snowboarding and freestyle disciplines.
In addition, British curlers top the world rankings in both mixed doubles and men’s events, raising real hopes that the team can surpass the record five medals won in both Sochi in 2014 and PyeongChang.
Jeffries, a former world junior medallist, and Pendry will become the first biathletes to represent Great Britain at a Winter Games since 2018.
GB chef de mission Eve Muirhead said: “I’m thrilled to be welcoming Jacques and Shawna to Team GB for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.
“This moment is a testament to the hard work they’ve put into achieving the dream of standing on that Olympic stage and I can’t wait to see them in action.
“With their addition, our team for 2026 is now complete, and we’re ready for the final push towards the Games.”
Great Britain has confirmed a final squad of 53 athletes for next month’s Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina
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GETTY
An ambitious target of four to eight medals for Team GB at next month’s Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics has been set ahead of the games.
If achieved, the tally would represent Britain’s best-ever performance at a Winter Games.
The funding body announced on Tuesday that approximately 55 British athletes will travel to Italy for the competition, which runs from February 6 to February 22.
This goal follows substantial investment of more than £32.5million in Lottery funding distributed across winter sports during the current Olympic cycle.
Jeffries, a former world junior medallist, and Pendry will become the first biathletes to represent Great Britain at a Winter Games since 2018
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PA
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.
Among the British contingent, several athletes stand out as genuine gold medal contenders, including snowboarder Mia Brookes, freestyle skiers Kirsty Muir and Zoe Atkin, curler Bruce Mouat and skeleton racer Matt Weston, all of whom possess realistic chances of reaching the top of the podium.
Weston arrives in particularly strong form, a two-time world champion who currently leads the World Cup standings in his discipline.
Brookes, Muir and Atkin carry additional historical significance, as any of them could secure Great Britain’s maiden Olympic gold or silver medal on snow.
Kirsty Muir won gold in the freeski slopestyle at the X Games just weeks before the games
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GETTYREAD LIST IN FULL:
Curling:
Bruce Mouat (men’s team and mixed team).
Grant Hardie (men’s team).
Hammy McMillan Jr (men’s team).
Bobby Lammie (men’s team).
Kyle Waddell (men’s team).
Rebecca Morrison (women’s team).
Sophie Jackson (women’s team).
Sophie Sinclair (women’s team).
Jennifer Dodds (women’s team and mixed team).
Fay Henderson (women’s team).
Skeleton:
Matt Weston.
Marcus Wyatt.
Amelia Coltman.
Freya Tarbit.
Tabby Stoecker.
Bobsleigh:
Brad Hall (two-man bobsleigh and four-man bobsleigh).
Taylor Lawrence (two-man bobsleigh and four-man bobsleigh).
Leon Greenwood (four-man bobsleigh).
Greg Cackett (four-man bobsleigh).
Adele Nicoll (monobob and two-woman bobsleigh).
Ashleigh Nelson (two-woman bobsleigh).
Ski and Snowboard:
Park and Pipe:
Zoe Atkin (ski halfpipe).
Gus Kenworthy (ski halfpipe).
Liam Richards (ski halfpipe).
Chris McCormick (ski slopestyle and Big Air).
Kirsty Muir (ski slopestyle and Big Air).
Mia Brookes (snowboard slopestyle and Big Air).
Maisie Hill (snowboard slopestyle and Big Air).
Txema Mazet-Brown (snowboard slopestyle and Big Air).
Alpine Skiing:
Billy Major (slalom).
Dave Ryding (slalom).
Laurie Taylor (slalom).
Cross-Country:
James Clugnet.
Joe Davies.
Andrew Musgrave.
Anna Pryce.
Snowboard Cross:
Charlotte Bankes (individual and team).
Huw Nightingale (individual and team).
Ski Cross:
Ollie Davies.
Moguls:
Makayla Gerken Schofield.
Mateo Jeannesson.
Figure Skating:
Lilah Fear (team event/ice dance).
Lewis Gibson (team event/ice dance).
Phebe Bekker (team event/ice dance).
James Hernandez (team event/ice dance).
Anastasia Vaipan-Law (team event/pairs).
Luke Digby (team event/pairs).
Kristen Spours (team event/women’s singles).
Edward Appleby (team event).
Short Track Speed Skating:
Niall Treacy – men’s 500m, 1000m and 1500m.
Speedskating:
Ellia Smeding – women’s 1000m and 1500m.
Biathlon:
Jacques Jefferies.
Shawna Pendry.
There are also two travelling reserves for the GB team: Alex Cartagena (four-man bobsleigh) and Kya Placide (two-woman bobsleigh)
