twenty second February 2026 | Jane Peel, PlanetSKI
It was GB’s most profitable Winter Olympics with 3 Golds, 1 Silver and I Bronze. Our snowsport athletes delivered two and, although they need to arguably have gained extra, there may be a lot hope for the long run. NEW
The 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics concluded with a complete of 5 medals for GB, three golds, a silver and a bronze.
Two of the medals got here from the snowsport athletes, the ultimate one on the final day of competitors.
Zoe Atkin secured a bronze within the ski halfpipe on Sunday morning, the primary Olympic medal within the self-discipline for GB.
Zoe Atkin within the ski halfpipe remaining on the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics. Picture © Sam Mellish/Crew GB
Zoe Atkin wins bronze in ski halfpipe on the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Picture © Sam Mellish/Crew GB
It ensured that an Olympics that maybe didn’t fairly reside as much as the expectations many people had for the GB snowsports athletes, a minimum of when it comes to the variety of medals, ended on a profitable notice.
There have been some disappointing outcomes and a few podium close to misses.
From Despair to Elation
One huge shock was the failure of Charlotte Bankes to make it previous the quarter-final stage of the ladies’s snowboard cross, simply as she’d finished at Beijing in 2022.
The previous world champion with 26 World Cup golds to her identify had been anticipated to medal.
She made up for it, although, 48 hours later with teammate Huw Nightingale within the combined staff occasion.
The pair – who have been 2023 World Champions – added the Olympic title to their checklist of achievements.
It was the primary ever Winter Olympics gold medal on snow.
Charlotte Bankes and Huw Nightingale, 2026 Olympic Champions in Combined Crew SBX. Picture © Sam Mellish/Crew GB
Charlotte Bankes was chosen to be one of many two GB flag bearers on the Closing Ceremony.
“To be requested to hold the flag is a dream come true and appears like a second for our whole snowboard cross staff,” she stated forward of the ceremony.
“We now have made historical past for our sport, and I might be strolling on the market carrying it for everybody who has been a part of that journey.
“Main Crew GB out at my first Closing Ceremony might be very particular.
“It’s a likelihood to mirror on every little thing we’ve got put into these Video games and to rejoice the medals we’ve got gained, and people we’ve got come so near.’’
Charlotte Bankes, one among two GB flag bearers on the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics closing ceremony. Picture © Sam Mellish/Crew GB
The President of the IOC, Kirsty Coventry, mirrored upon the place of The Olympic motion within the present world in her speech on the Closing Ceremony.
“You confirmed us what excellence, respect, and friendship appear to be in a world that always forgets these values.
“You confirmed us that the Olympic Video games are a spot for everybody.”
Podium Close to Misses
GB freeskier, 21-year-old Kirsty Muir, had been a robust contender for medals in her second Winter Olympics, however completed each her occasions in 4th place.
In slopestyle she missed bronze by simply 0.41 factors.
In huge air, she was 3.5 factors behind the skier who completed third.
Kirsty Muir is consoled by her boyfriend after her remaining soar within the ski huge air remaining. Picture © Sam Mellish/Crew GB
Kirsty gained a gold and silver on the 2026 X Video games in Aspen and likewise has World Cup victories.
Like Kirsty, 19-year-old Mia Brookes, in her first look at a Winter Olympics, suffered the agony of a 4th place in snowboard huge air.
Mia Brookes, Snowboard Huge Air on the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics. Picture Sam Mellish/Crew GB
Any hope that she may do higher in her most popular occasion of slopestyle, the place her prospects have been arguably higher, evaporated when she didn’t make the 12-woman remaining.
Mia grew to become the youngest World Champion in snowboarding historical past when she gained slopestyle gold at 16.
She has additionally gained back-to-back huge air Crystal Globes, World Cup gold in December, in addition to slopestyle gold and massive air bronze on the 2026 X Video games.
However in freestyle ski and snowboard competitions, podiums could be – and infrequently are – selected very small margins.
Athletes can go from hero to zero with only one less-than-perfect touchdown.
In her huge air contest Mia tried a trick that had by no means been landed in competitors earlier than and was so near nailing it.
As BBC Sport commentator Ed Leigh stated on the time: “That was a gold.”
Mia Brookes, Snowboard Huge Air on the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics. Picture © Sam Mellish/Crew GB
Such a disgrace, however each Mia and Kirsty are younger sufficient to compete in a number of extra Olympics.
They’ll get their subsequent likelihood of Olympic glory within the French Alps in 2030.
Cross-Nation Historical past-Makers
Away from the medal prospects, there have been some excellent outcomes, notably within the gruelling cross-country ski occasions.
Right here, GB sporting historical past was made – greater than as soon as.
Andrew Musgrave concluded his fifth Olympics with a formidable sixth within the 50km mass begin traditional free on the penultimate day of the Video games.
It was his fourth consecutive high 10 and his second sixth place of the Video games – the best cross-country Olympic end for a person GB athlete.
Andrew Musgrave on the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics. Picture © FIS/Julia Piatkowska/Motion Press Worldwide
Earlier, with teammate James Clugnet within the males’s staff dash free, Muzzy recorded Nice Britain’s greatest cross-country Olympic outcome – fifth.
Olympic debutants Joe Davies and Anna Pryce additionally carried out effectively.
Joe’s greatest was a twelfth place and Anna recorded GB’s greatest outcomes by a feminine cross-country skier.
Anna Pryce competing on the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, Picture © FIS/Julia Piatkowska/Motion Press Worldwide
Alpine – Ryding’s Farewell
We are able to’t finish this round-up with out mentioning GB’s best alpine ski racer and the one one to win a World Cup race.
Dave Ryding was competing in his fifth and remaining Winter Olympics earlier than retiring on the finish of the season.
Though he couldn’t match his greatest Olympic outcome, ‘The Rocket’ bowed out with seventeenth place within the slalom to convey the curtain down on a stellar Olympic profession.
Dave Ryding on the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics. Picture © Sam Mellish/Crew GB
Teammate Billy Main completed one spot above Dave.
Billy and Laurie Taylor, who straddled a gate on the primary run however has managed a formidable 4th place within the World Cup this season, may effectively be good prospects for future Video games, together with different up-and-coming alpine racers.
Billy Main on the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics. Picture © Sam Mellish/Crew GB
Laurie Taylor on the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics. Picture © Sam Mellish/Crew GB
GB’s Winter Olympics File
GB’s greatest medal haul at a Winter Olympics earlier than Milan-Cortina was 5.
This was achieved at Sochi in 2014, the place Jenny Jones gained bronze in snowboard slopestyle, and matched in PyeongChang 4 years later, the place bronze medals for Izzy Atkin (ski slopestyle) and Billy Morgan (snowboard huge air) contributed to the tally.
Beijing 2022 was vastly disappointing with simply two GB medals – a gold and silver in curling – however none on snow.
Milan-Cortina, with 5 medals, is formally one of the best efficiency by Crew GB as a result of three of the 5 have been golds.
It additionally meets UK Sport’s pre-Video games goal of between 4 and eight medals.
On the ice, solely skeleton (two golds) and curling (one silver) delivered medals for GB.
On snow, there was that gold in snowboard cross and the bronze in ski halfpipe.
General, it may – and maybe ought to – have been higher.
However for GB Snowsport, the inspiration is there and there are causes to be eager for 2030.
Most of the GB athletes at Milan-Cortina – like Mia Brookes, Kirsty Muir and bronze medallist Zoe Atkin – are solely of their teenagers or early twenties.
They are going to be again and hungry for extra.
The Chief Government of GB Snowsport, Vicky Gosling, has been in Italy for the Video games.
She was more than pleased with the efficiency of her athletes when she spoke to the BBC after the ultimate occasion.
“We’re ecstatic. We’ve had two historic medals actually for Britain,” she stated.
“We’ve had the primary gold with Charlotte and Huw and now we’ve simply seen Zoe completely smashing it.
“It was such a detailed competitors and he or she had probably the most top of everyone.
“It was an fascinating scoring arrange however, on the finish of the day, she obtained a medal.”
GB Snowsport CEO, Vicky Gosling (centre) with Zoe Atkin and her mum on the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics. Picture © Sam Mellish/Crew GB
She stated the outcomes had validated the GB Snowsport technique.
“Right here we’re with two medals, a gold and a bronze, in snowsport.
“Who wouldn’t be pleased with that and we’re completely delighted – the staff, the athletes, everyone that’s put a lot effort in.
“We instructed the world after Beijing we have been going to return again right here and present them what we have been made from and I believe we’ve finished that in spades.”
With the near-misses and quite a few fourth locations there may be most actually a platform for the long run.
I watched lots of the occasions and although we might not have reached the rostrum, simply to be watching and understanding Crew GB had a sensible likelihood of a medal was thrilling.
I count on I wasn’t the one one feeling that.
“These Video games have been wonderful, and a history-making Video games,” Crew GB Chef de Mission, Eve Muirhead, instructed BBC Sport.
“This Video games has actually confirmed that we’re succesful, that we’ve got a lot potential, and we’re rising.
“We’re a rising winter nation, which is de facto thrilling.
“With the French Alps Winter Olympics in 4 years time, it is a catalyst to these Video games.”
Right here at PlanetSKI all we will say is ‘Roll on 2030’…
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