This entry was posted on Monday, February 24th, 2014at 1:42 pm by zoe.leahy@activenation.org.uk

Success In Sochi Is just The Beginning

The Winter Olympics has exceeded all expectations, providing everything from euphoria at Lizzy Yarnold’s gold medal in the skeleton – to tears of frustration for poor Elise Christie in the speed skating. Sochi has provided it all and kept most of the country glued to the TV.

Team GB surpassed its three-medal target set by UK Sport, which has already announced that it expects to increase funding for winter sports before the 2018 games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

In addition to Lizzy’s gold, there was silver for the men’s curlers, bronze for the women’s curlers and bronze for Jenny Jones in the snowboard slopestyle. This equalled the record of four medals Great Britain won at the inaugural Winter Olympics in Chamonix 1924.

Elise Christie’s 3 disqualifications in short track speed skating were a bitter pill to swallow, highly-rated slopestyle skier James Woods was hindered by a hip injury in training and John Jackson’s GBR 1 bobsleigh crew led briefly on a tense final afternoon in the Sochi sun.

Snowboarder Billy Morgan finished 10th after making it through to the men’s slopestyle final alongside team mate Jamie Nicholls who was 6th. In fact, Billy’s first taste of the slopes was as a teenager at Active Nation’s Alpine Snowsport Centre in Southampton.

Well done to Team GB, not only did they deliver the results, but throughout the Games there has been a real sense of pride back here in the UK. Our Alpine Snowsport centres in Southampton and Aldershot have been buzzing throughout the competition with youngsters inspired by the results.

With more cash from UK Sport, inspiration from Sochi and with role models like Lizzy, Jenny and Billy this really is the time to inspire the next generation. Come and join us – who knows the next gold medallist could be on our doorstep!

But wait!!! The excitement of Sochi isn’t over yet as the Winter Paralympics start on March 7. Great Britain is expected to field 15 athletes in total – a team of 5 in wheelchair curling and 10 in alpine skiing, including 3 sight guides.

Everyone at Active Nation will be busy cheering on our Rising Star Jade Etherington and her guide Caroline Powell when they take to the slopes in the slalom. Jade was born with Axenfield’s syndrome, a genetic condition that causes fluid blockages in the eye and can lead to total blindness. She only has 5 per cent vision and relies on Caroline to give her directions via radio when they go down the slopes. The pair are hoping to come away from Sochi with a medal. Watch this space!

If you have been inspired by the Winter Olympics, come and check out Active Nation’s Alpine Centres: /join-us/join-us-snowsports/