Team GB Vancouver 2010 Athletes Announced and adidas Kit Launched
The British Olympic Association today announced a further 19 athletes as selected to Team GB for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and official sportswear partner adidas unveiled the Team GB kit in the spectacular surroundings of Somerset House in London.
The athletes announced today, from 4 sports and 7 disciplines are joining the 24 athletes who have already been announced to travel to the Games as part of Team GB, bringing the total to 43 athletes across 6 sports and 10 disciplines.
The athletes selected to Team GB today are:
Alpine skiing: Andy Noble, Dave Ryding, Ed Drake, Chemmy Alcott
Biathlon: Lee-Steve Jackson
Bobsleigh: Nicola Minichiello and Gillian Cooke
Paula Walker and Kelly Thomas
Cross-country skiing: Andrew Musgrave, Andrew Young, Fiona Hughes
Luge: Adam Rosen
Snowboard PGS: Adam McLeish
Snowboard cross: Zoe Gillings
Snowboard half-pipe: Ben Kilner, Lesley McKenna
Ski aerials: Sarah Ainsworth
Ski moguls: Ellie Koyander
Commenting on the selection:
Andy Hunt, Team GB Chef de Mission: “Within this group of athletes, we have a wonderful mixture of potential and experience. There are World Champions, but also teenagers who may not truly reach their peak until the 2018 Olympic Winter Games. It’s an exciting team – the best of British in winter sport - and we’re doing everything we can to allow these athletes to fulfil their potential and achieve a personal best for Team GB in Vancouver.”
Nicola Minichiello, bobsleigh: “It’s no exaggeration to say that, since we won the World Championship last year, everything that our team has done has been focused around the Olympic Winter Games. Our aim has always been to hit peak form when we reach Vancouver, and that’s what we plan to achieve. Our season hasn’t always gone according to plan, but those who know us also know that Gillian and I flourish in the face of adversity. Being selected to be part of Team GB is one of the greatest thrills you can imagine, but we’re now focused on making then most of this opportunity on the biggest stage of all.”
Zoe Gillings, snowboard cross: “Representing your country really is the ultimate honour, and I make no secret of how much I love being part of Team GB. As an athlete who normally competes on her own, there’s something fantastic about pulling on team kit and joining up with your team-mates, and I can’t wait for the Opening Ceremony. I think it’s going to be awesome.
“I’m even more excited about going to these Olympics than I was about going to Turin. I’ve been thinking of Vancouver ever since the Closing Ceremony in 2006, and I’m really hopeful of making my country proud. My ambition is to come back with a medal.”
Chemmy Alcott, alpine skiing: “The Olympic Winter Games are without doubt the biggest event in our sport, so it’s a massively exciting prospect for me to be going as part of Team GB. Last time out, in Turin four years ago, I came 11th, but this time my aspirations are higher. I don’t just want to break into the top ten – I do believe I’ve got the talent to challenge for a medal, and a gold one would be fantastic!
“Representing your country is something very, very special. I’ve hugely enjoyed my previous Olympic experience, but I hope this will be the best of them all.”
Ben Kilner, snowboard half pipe: “I’ve always wanted to represent my country at an Olympic Winter Games, so getting selected for Team GB really does feel like one of the greatest achievements of my career. Snowboarding is obviously massive in Canada, so it should be a great competition to be involved in, and it will feel particularly special to be out there with a Union Flag on my back.”
AJ Rosen, luge: “After competing at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games, I was desperate to get back to the Olympic environment in 2010. I learned a lot four years ago, and feel I’ve improved as an athlete, and that I’ve picked up a lot of valuable experience. But a few months ago I had a bad accident while training in Whistler and had to undergo a lot of rehabilitation work to get myself back into shape. It’s been hard, but the one thing that’s always kept me going has been a determination to be part of Team GB at the Games.
“The track in Whistler is a monster but it’s a fantastic challenge. Despite that crash, I can’t wait to get back to Canada and get back to action. I’m keeping my goal to myself, but it’s enough to say that I want to make sure I show my best form at this, the biggest event in sport.”
Nick Craggs, Marketing Director, adidas Area North:
“adidas is delighted to enter its 26th year partnering the British Olympic Association. We continue to push barriers in kit design, helping athletes perform to their best. In particular, the widespread incorporation of our renowned Techfit compression technology, especially into the all important base-layer apparel, will help power Team GB in Vancouver”.
Notes to Editors
The skeleton and men’s bobsleigh athletes selected to Team GB will be announced by Friday 29th January. The final number of Team GB athletes is expected to be approximately 50 from 6 sports and 11 disciplines. Athletes from the sports of curling, figure skating and short track speed skating were announced prior to today. Click here to view biographies of all athletes selected to Team GB.
Visit www.teamgb.com to follow Team GB at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
As Team GB prepares to head for Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, it would like to thank the 25 official sponsors of Team GB and London 2012 including seven domestic Tier One Partners - adidas, BMW, BP, British Airways, BT, EDF and Lloyds TSB. There are six domestic Tier Two Supporters – Adecco, Cadbury, Cisco, Deloitte, Thomas Cook and UPS. There are twelve domestic Tier Three Suppliers and Providers – Airwave, Atkins, Boston Consulting Group, Crystal CG, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, GSK, Holiday Inn, McCann Worldgroup, The Nielsen Company, Populous, Ticketmaster and Trident.
The Worldwide Olympic Partners signed up for London 2012 are Coca-Cola, Acer, Atos Origin, GE, McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic, Samsung and Visa.
The British Olympic Association (BOA) is the National Olympic Committee for Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Its mission is to transform British lives through the power of the Olympic values and the success of Team GB. The BOA’s role is to prepare the ‘Best of British’ athletes for, and lead them at, the summer, winter and youth Olympic Games. The BOA delivers extensive support services to Britain’s Olympic athletes and their National Governing Bodies to enhance Olympic success and is responsible for championing the Olympic values and brand in the UK. For further information, go to: www.olympics.org.uk
For more information, or for interview requests, please contact the BOA Communications Team:
adam.parsons@boa.org.uk / 020 7842 5722 / 07740 818549
philip.wilkinson@boa.org.uk / 0207 842 5721 / 07525 951067
Athletes Selected to Team GB for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games
Vancouver
Curling
Men: David Murdoch (skip); Ewan MacDonald, Euan Byers, Peter Smith,
Graeme Connal
Women: Eve Muirhead (skip); Jackie Lockhart, Kelly Wood, Lorna Vevers, Anne Laird
Short Track Speed Skating
Men: Jon Eley, Tom Iveson, Anthony Douglas, Paul Worth, Jack Whelbourne
Women: Sarah Lindsay, Elise Christie
Figure Skating
Ice Dancing: John and Sinead Kerr, Nick Buckland and Penny Coomes
Pairs: David King and Stacey Kemp
Individual: Jenna McCorkell
Vancouver - Cypress Mountain
Snowboarding
Snowboard Parallel Giant Slalom – Adam McLeish
Snowboard Cross – Zoe Gillings
Snowboard Half Pipe – Ben Kilner and Lesley McKenna
Freestyle Skiing
Ski Aerials – Sarah Ainsworth
Ski Moguls – Ellie Koyander
Whistler
Alpine skiing – Andy Noble, Dave Ryding, Ed Drake, Chemmy Alcott
Biathlon – Lee-Steve Jackson
Bobsleigh – Nicola Minichiello and Gillian Cooke, and Paula Walker and Kelly Thomas
Cross-Country Skiing – Andrew Musgrave, Andrew Young, Fiona Hughes
Luge – Adam Rosen