Winter Olympics: Lizzy Yarnold's five Team GB medal hopes to watch in Beijing
The Winter Olympics is one of British sport's great disappointments. Despite competing every year since it began in 1924, medals have been rare. Here we look at Team GB's hopes in China next month.
Wednesday 5 January 2022 14:12, UK
Team GB's most successful winter Olympian, Lizzy Yarnold, has now retired from the skeleton event in which she won back-to-back golds in 2014 and 2018.
So, with this year's games starting in Beijing in just a month's time, who is carrying the team's hopes for success?
Here Yarnold picks out five events to watch when the Winter Olympics get under way.
Curling
The sport that Yarnold describes as "her obsession" at the Winter Olympics.
Another strong Team GB curling squad includes the mixed doubles pairing of Jen Dodds and Bruce Mouat.
The Scottish duo were crowned world champions last year.
Yarnold says: "They are definitely ones to watch."
It's the second time the mixed doubles event has been included in the Winter Olympics with Dodds and Mouat tipped to make the podium.
Snowboarding
Charlotte Bankes competed for France in 2014 and 2018 but switched to Team GB, the country of her birth, not long afterwards.
"She was world champion last year - she is definitely up there," Yarnold tells Paste BN.
The dramatic snowboard races are often full of drama that Yarnold compares to the BMX races involving Beth Shriever and Kye Whtye in Tokyo last summer.
"Charlotte Bankes is such a good athlete. I can't wait to watch her, I love those extreme events that are so skilful," Yarnold adds.
Skeleton
The event that Yarnold dominated by winning gold in 2014 and 2018 still holds hopes for Team GB.
"There's lots of really great male talent... Marcus Wyatt got a silver medal in the Beijing test event," she says.
Skeleton is one of the oldest events in the winter games where sliders can reach speeds up to 80mph (129kph).
She may be biased by Yarnold believes "there is a definite possibility that the sliding sports could do well again".
Freestyle skiing
Team GB's Kirsty Muir goes in the freestyle skiing.
The Aberdeen-based teen, who is just 17, is tipped for big things and will be competing in her first Winter Olympics.
"She's our youngest Olympian in Beijing," Yarnold said.
Muir was one of the breakout stars of the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics and has the talent to make a big impression next month.
Bobsleigh
The bobsleigh pair of Brad Hall and Greg Cackett pulled off a surprise silver in the Winter Olympics test event last year and the whole team will be hoping for a much-improved performance after a disappointing 2018 Olympics for the sport.
"Brad is doing very, very well," Yarnold points out.
"There's Mica McNeill too in the women's bob….I love the old classics. You can't go wrong watching a bit of bobsleigh or skeleton... and just hoping nobody hits the wall!"