The Winter Olympic Games were brought to a close with a magnificent Closing Ceremony just over a week ago. During 19 days of competition, with the eyes of the world on them, British skaters achieved three top-ten finishes and did their country proud.
British Ice Skating is immensely proud of the team that travelled to Beijing, as well as the countless others who played a part in our athletes’ Olympic journey.
For the first time in 30 years Team GB was represented in each on-ice discipline of Figure Skating, Short Track and Long Track Speed Skating. The remarkable efforts and determination shown by our athletes, most of whom are largely self-funded, show great promise for the future.
Having athletes on the world stage is sure to inspire future generations, an example of the difference they can make was shown as over 1000 people visited the British Ice Skating rink finder and learn to skate page the day after Lilah & Lewis skated their Rhythm Dance.
The duo have their sights firmly set on 2026 Games after their tenth-place finish in the Ice Dance. Cornelius Kersten also spoke of how he can close the gap on a podium place over the next few years leading up to Milano Cortina 2026. And, as it always does at a Winter Olympics, Short Track fever captivated TV audiences.
Ellia Smeding became the first female long track speed skater to represent Team GB in 42 years and Farrell Treacy made it through to an Olympic A Final in the short track 1500m. Natasha Mckay achieved a lifelong dream as she made her Olympic debut, 21-year-old Niall Treacy also became an Olympian and Kathryn Thomson skated at her second Games.
After a four-year cycle that was hugely disrupted by the global pandemic the results from our team were a credit to them as individuals, and something our sport can be incredibly proud of. The competition calendar will now move on with plenty of major competitions coming up featuring those who competed in Beijing and other top skaters.
The Speed Skating World Championships start on 3rd March, World Short Track Speed Skating Championships get underway on 18th March and Montpellier hosts the World Figure Skating Championships from 21st March.