Ellia Smeding says ‘it’s a dream come true’ after she was announced as the final member of Team GB for the Winter Olympics in Beijing as she becomes the first British long-track speed-skater to qualify for the Games in 42 years
- Ellia Smeding has been confirmed as the 50th and final member of Team GB
- She becomes the first British long-track speed-skater at the Games since 1980
- Her selection comes after breaking a number of national records last month
Ellia Smeding has been confirmed as the 50th and final member of Team GB at the Beijing Winter Olympics and has described the moment as a ‘dream come true’.
The 23-year-old joins her boyfriend Cornelius Kersten in the team and becomes the first British long-track speed-skater to qualify for a Games in 42 years.
Smeding recently set a series of new personal bests and national records throughout the World Cup qualifying process.
Ellia Smeding has been selected as the 50th and final member of Team GB at the Beijing Games
Over the course of seven days in December, she set a new national record in each of the 500m, 1000m and 1500m.
Speaking after her selection, Smeding said: ‘Being part of Team GB in Beijing is an absolute dream come true. This season has gone really well so far and I’m hoping to put my best races down at the Games.
‘I’m so excited to share this experience with Cornelius and to have two long track speed skaters at the Olympic Winter Games will hopefully inspire a future generation of skaters.’
She joins her speed-skating boyfriend Cornelius Kersten who has also made Team GB
Smeding made set a number of national records during the World Cup qualifying process
Smeding recorded two top-ten finishes at the European Speed Skating Championships, including an eight place in the 1000m.
She will race in the 1000m and 1500m that will take place at the newly-built National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing.
The last British long-track speed-skaters to qualify for the games were Kim Ferran and Mandy Horsepool at the 1980 Games in Lake Placid, New York.
Team GB’s 50-strong squad includes three returning medallists in Izzy Atkin, Laura Deas and Eve Muirhead.
It is their smallest squad for a Winter Games since 2010 in Vancouver, when Amy Williams won the only medal in women’s skeleton.
There are high hopes however they can match the five-medal haul from each of the previous two Winter Olympics, especially in the aftermath of Dave Ryding’s historic win in the World Cup slalom in Kitzbuhel – the first Brit to win gold at the Alpine World Cup.
Team GB have high hopes to match recent Winter Olympic medal hauls with Dave Ryding (pictured after winning at the Alpine World Cup) among those expected to be in contention
Mixed curling duo Bruce Mouat and Jennifer Dodds, and snowboard-cross racer Charlotte Bankes, go into the Games as defending world champions, while hopes are high for the likes of Katie Ormerod and Kirsty Muir.
Team GB Chef de Mission Georgina Harland said: ‘We are delighted to welcome the 50 athletes who will make up the team at Beijing 2022 and feel these athletes have the opportunity to not only challenge established winter nations but compete with the success we enjoyed at both Sochi and Pyeongchang.
‘This is an exciting new chapter for British winter sport with a number of new names for the British public to enjoy and get behind and, with athletes who have experienced four Olympic Winter Games, they will undoubtedly be a great support to the emerging talent.’