The Winter Olympics kick off with a grand ceremony at Milan’s iconic San Siro Stadium. Mariah Carey and Andrea Bocelli will headline the event as viewers anticipate the performance of the promising British team. UK Sport foresees a potential of up to eight medals for the team in Italy.
Taking place in various locations across northern Italy, the 25th edition of the winter games will feature celebrations and processions in Predazzo, Livigno, and Cortina d’Ampezzo. Team GB is expected to achieve its highest-ever medal count, aiming to surpass its previous record of five medals in Sochi 2014 and Pyeongchang 2018. Ice skating duo Lewis Gibson and Lilah Fear, dubbed as the new Torvill and Dean, are a strong contender for the first Olympic figure skating medal for Britain since 1994. Lilah Fear, 26, will lead the team as the flagbearer alongside bobsleigh pilot Brad Hall during the opening ceremony.
The British curling team is also poised for success following their two medals in 2022, including a gold for the women. Notably, the team boasts exceptional talent in world champion Matt Weston and his close associate Marcus Wyatt in skeleton racing.
Among the frontrunners for medals are athletes like Mia Brookes, Kirsty Muir, Zoe Atkin, and Charlotte Bankes, all with the potential to secure the nation’s first gold or silver medal in snow events.
The competition, running until Feb 22 and broadcasted on BBC, will witness nearly 3,000 athletes from 90 countries vying for 116 medals at Milan-Cortina. Team GB comprises 53 athletes, with exciting contests already underway. Wyatt is a top contender to join Weston on the men’s skeleton podium after clinching World Championship silver behind Weston last year.
Furthermore, Weston and Tabby Stoecker will partner in the mixed team event, while Brad Hall’s bobsleigh teams will compete in both the two-man and four-man events. Expectations are high for Team GB’s curlers, particularly with Mouat and Dodds teaming up in the mixed team event, aiming for a repeat of their previous success.
In individual events, standout athletes like Atkin, Bankes, Brookes, Muir, and the figure skating pair Fear and Gibson are set to captivate audiences with their skills and aspirations for medal glory.
