Group GB have hailed a “historic” Winter Olympics after Britain’s best efficiency within the 102 years of the Video games left them fifteenth within the medal desk – and warned their rivals the “Brits are coming once more”.
Zoe Atkin’s girls’s halfpipe bronze medal on Sunday ensured that Britain left Milano Cortina with 5 medals – equalling the tally from Sochi in 2014 and Pyeongchang in 2018. Nevertheless, Group GB additionally gained a report three gold medals with Matt Weston profitable two of them within the particular person skeleton and the blended occasion with Tabitha Stoecker. Charlotte Bankes and Huw Nightingale additionally took gold within the blended snowboard cross, whereas the boys’s curling group gained silver.
“It’s far and away our most profitable Video games ever, each when it comes to complete medals achieved but additionally the variety of Olympic champions,” the UK Sport efficiency director, Kate Baker, stated. “We’re completely delighted with that.
“I feel we are able to all stroll away from this Video games extremely happy with the successes that we’ve had and the breakthrough moments that we’ve had and we’ll be seeking to do extra of that. Finally the message is the Brits are coming once more and I feel we are able to all get actually excited not only for French Alps in 2030 however for Los Angeles within the intervening interval.”
That message was shared by Eve Muirhead, the British Olympic Affiliation’s chef de mission. “It has been a historic Winter Video games and what an unimaginable group we’ve got had out right here in Milan-Cortina,” she stated.
Muirhead, nonetheless, additionally careworn that the medal desk didn’t inform the entire story with a report 24 top-10 finishers, surpassing the earlier better of 18 from Sochi.
“We’ve got seen some unimaginable performances on the snow and within the arenas and a handful of fourth locations, which some other day may have been very completely different outcomes,” she stated. “That simply reveals the sort of jeopardy of winter sports activities and the way margins are so effective whenever you’re right here.
“Take a look at Andrew Musgrave for instance. As a lot as he didn’t hit the rostrum you’ve received three top-10s at your fifth Winter Olympic Video games. That’s unimaginable. You’ve received Niall Treacy making the ultimate of the 1500m briefly observe. It’s these much less minority sports activities that don’t get as a lot publicity day in, day trip that catch the attention of the nation on the subject of winter sports activities.
“And I don’t know what the viewing figures have been final night time for the curling however I can think about on a Saturday night time again within the UK the entire place was buzzing.”
Muirhead paid particular tribute to Weston, who had received Group GB off the mark after a gradual begin after which added a second gold later within the week. “Matt is an unimaginable athlete. I used to be out right here at a World Cup about six months in the past and he gained. And he was like, I’m nonetheless simply 70% again. I do know the resilience he has, the dedication, the dedication, it sort of separates him.
“He’s simply received that unimaginable athlete mindset and head on him. It has been an absolute privilege to work with him and he’s not only a nice athlete, he’s a very nice man as properly.”
UK Sport has acquired criticism for funding sports activities reminiscent of skeleton, which has no services within the UK, slightly than the skating sports activities given there are 50 ice rinks within the UK.
Requested about that, Baker replied: “When it comes to issues like velocity skating, I feel any variety of our sports activities that you just have a look at within the winter portfolio, now you can watch on a Sunday and check out it on a Monday.
“Determine skating is similar. You may go to a snow dome. And many our athletes began out on dry slopes. So, I feel that means to have the ability to do it’s actually, actually vital to us at UK Sport and naturally we’ll have a look at any sport that gives that potential. However there’s additionally a actuality in regards to the sort of funding that may be required.
“We all know the general public are actually happy with this group of athletes. When it comes to the ambition I feel what this reveals is we’re not performed but. Nice Britain has extra to come back.”
The Winter Olympics ends with a joyous closing ceremony in Verona. Now all eyes shall be on the Winter Paralympics in 12 days’ time which can function Russians competing underneath their very own flag for the time since 2014.
Requested about that, Baker replied: “I do know this would possibly really feel like I’m avoiding the query however it genuinely is a matter for the British Paralympic Affiliation, as a result of they management, they oversee and help the athletes in Video games time. So that may be a query for them.”
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