UK Sport is to double its investment in Team GB’s Winter Olympic athletes ahead of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.
The decision follows this year’s Winter Games on Sochi, where Team GB equalled its all-time record of four medals, achieved at the inaugural Winter Olympics in Chamonix in 1924. The Paralympic team won six medals, its best Winter Games haul in 30 years – including a first ever winter Paralympic gold medal.
UK Sport will invest up to £31m in eight winter Olympic and Paralympic sports that have demonstrated credible medal potential either at PyeongChang 2018 or the following Winter Games in 2022. The funding is more than double the investment in the Sochi cycle (£14m).
On the Paralympic side the increase is even more significant – the £4m earmarked for the next Paralympic cycle is more than five times the investment given to the Sochi cycle.
In a statement, UK Sport said Team GB’s performance at Sochi this year had “made a compelling case” for investment to be increased.
Liz Nicholl, CEO of UK Sport, said: “Our winter Olympic and Paralympic athletes performed exceptionally in Sochi.
“The record £31m investment announced today reflects the belief we have in the potential of our winter sports and athletes to make us proud again in four years’ time in Pyeongchang, with yet more medal success.”
Simon Timson, UK Sport’s director of performance, added: “In more than 20 years of working in British high performance sport, I have never seen our winter sports and athletes in better shape.
“The investments announced today, along with the underpinning support of our Performance Advisors, Coaching and Talent teams, working in partnership with the Institutes of Sport, should keep these sports on an upward trajectory.”
Funding for Pyeongchang – highlights• Up to £27m will be invested in Olympic sports for the PyeongChang cycle, just over double the investment in the Sochi cycle
• £4m will be invested in Paralympic GB, more than five times the amount invested for Sochi 2014
• The funded Olympic sports are: bobsleigh, curling, figure skating, short track speed skating, skeleton, ski and snowboard
• The funded Paralympic sports are para-alpine skiing and wheelchair curling
• To download the full funding announcement as a PDF document,
click here
