Sport
Team GB at the Winter Olympics: Medal History
The 2026 Winter Olympics, known as Milan-Cortina, are set to take place from 6–22 February 2026 in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
As the countdown continues, attention is turning not only to the stunning alpine venues and fierce competition but also to how past performances shape expectations.
For Great Britain, these Winter Games represent both a challenge and an opportunity. With a publicly stated target of between four and eight medals, Team GB is optimistic about its chances on snow and ice. Current odds show the total number of Great Britain gold medals being under 2.5 at 4/5, and over 2.5 at 10/11.
As anticipation builds, it’s worth taking a closer look back at Team GB’s most memorable performances, from record medal hauls to historic firsts on skis, boards, and ice.
Sochi 2014 – Five Medals
Going into the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, Team GB were hoping to make history after years of disappointment, and they did just that. In fact, their final tally of five medals became the nation’s greatest tally at a Winter Games up to that point.
The standout story was certainly Lizzy Yarnold, who took gold in women’s skeleton. Yarnold’s triumph not only affirmed her dominance in the sport but also marked her as just the second British Olympic skeleton champion, following in the footsteps of Amy Williams from Vancouver 2010.
Team GB also struck silver in men’s curling, with the team of David Murdoch, Greg Drummond, Scott Andrews, Michael Goodfellow and Tom Brewster delivering consistent excellence throughout the tournament.
On the slopes, Jenny Jones earned bronze in women’s slopestyle, writing her name into British Olympic history by securing Great Britain’s first ever Olympic medal on snow.
Additional success came in women’s curling (bronze) and, in a twist of fate long after the Games, an upgrade in the four-man bobsleigh event. Due to disqualifications of Russian teams in late 2017, Great Britain, originally fifth, moved up to claim another bronze medal, further padding the Sochi medal count.
Read more on Team GB’s Best Medal Chances in 2026 here
PyeongChang 2018 – Five Medals
Four years later in PyeongChang, South Korea, Team GB again matched its Sochi output with five medals – one gold and four bronze – finishing 19th on the medal table.
Once again, Lizzy Yarnold was the gold medal hero, defending her skeleton title to become the first British athlete ever to retain a Winter Olympic gold. Her achievement elevated her to Great Britain’s most successful Winter Olympian, surpassing storied names like Jeannette Altwegg, Christopher Dean, and Jayne Torvill.
The skeleton story didn’t stop there. Laura Deas claimed bronze in the women’s skeleton, and alongside Yarnold, the pair became the first British athletes to win medals in the same event at the same Winter Games.
On the men’s side, Dominic Parsons added a bronze in skeleton, underlining British strength in this high-speed ice discipline.
Team GB’s success also extended beyond the sliding track. Izzy Atkin’s bronze in freestyle skiing marked the nation’s first Winter Olympic medal on skis, a breakthrough moment that resonated across the British winter sports community. Billy Morgan added another bronze in men’s big air snowboarding, solidifying PyeongChang as not only a successful, but trailblazing campaign.
Beijing 2022 – Two Medals
The most recent Winter Olympics, held in Beijing in 2022, saw a more modest medal return for Great Britain, but one defined by excellence in curling. The highlight was gold in the women’s curling tournament, with Jennifer Dodds, Hailey Duff, Eve Muirhead, Mili Smith and Vicky Wright delivering an outstanding campaign. Their success continued a tradition of British prowess in the sport.
Meanwhile, the men’s curling team, featuring Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie, Hammy McMillan Jr., Bruce Mouat and Ross Whyte, added silver after a hard-fought final against Sweden, ultimately losing 5-4. Their performance, topping the round-robin standings and powering into the gold medal match, confirmed Team GB’s strength in both men’s and women’s curling.
Heading into 2026, Team GB are 11/10 favourites to win gold in men’s curling, underscoring how sustained excellence in the sport continues to shape expectations.
