Great Britain's Winter Olympic Gold Medal Legacy
As the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics commence this Friday, anticipation builds for two weeks of thrilling competition in disciplines like curling, biathlon, and ski mountaineering. Great Britain is sending a contingent of 53 athletes to the Games, with cautious forecasts suggesting they could secure between four and eight medals. The nation's record for a single Winter Olympics stands at five medals, achieved in both 2014 and 2018. Despite the modest stature of Ben Nevis compared to peaks like Mont Blanc or Mount McKinley, Britain boasts a rich and storied history in the Winter Olympics spanning over a century. This legacy is filled with inspirational heroes whose achievements continue to motivate today's competitors.
Madge Syers – Figure Skating (1908 – Unofficial)
While the first official Winter Olympics took place in Chamonix in 1924, Britain's inaugural winter medallist emerged earlier. Figure skating was integrated into the summer Olympic programme by founder Pierre de Coubertin, debuting at the 1908 London Games. There, Madge Syers, aged 29, captivated audiences to win gold in the ladies' singles event. Already a two-time ladies' world champion in 1906 and 1907, Syers had previously made history in 1902 as the first woman to compete at the World Figure Skating Championships, where she earned a silver medal. Although her Olympic gold is not counted in the official Winter Olympic tally, her pioneering role remains significant.
Men's Team – Curling (1924)
At the inaugural official Winter Games, the British men's curling team—comprising William Jackson, Robin Welsh, Thomas Murray, and Laurence Jackson—secured the first Olympic curling gold medal. They dominated their matches, defeating Sweden 38-7 and France 46-4. However, it took 82 years for the International Olympic Committee to officially recognise these medals, clarifying they were not merely for a demonstration event. Robin Welsh, in particular, showcased remarkable versatility, representing Scotland in both tennis and rugby alongside his winter sports endeavours.
Men's Team – Ice Hockey (1936)
The Nazi-sponsored Olympics in Garmisch-Partenkirchen delivered a stunning upset in the ice hockey tournament. Canada, the four-time reigning champions, were favoured to win a fifth title but fell to Great Britain in a dramatic 2-1 loss. The British team, led by captain Carl Erhardt, went on to secure victories against Czechoslovakia and the USA in the final group stage, clinching the gold. This achievement made them the world's first team to simultaneously hold the Olympic, World, and European titles, a remarkable feat in the sport's history.
Jeannette Altwegg – Figure Skating (1952)
The Oslo Games provided favourable conditions for figure skating, a rarity in an era often plagued by poor ice or adverse weather. In the ladies' singles event, Jeannette Altwegg upgraded her 1948 bronze to a gold medal, building on her success at the 1951 World Championships. Born in India to a Scottish mother and Swiss father, Altwegg was raised in Liverpool and even participated in the junior Wimbledon finals in 1947. Her sporting legacy continued through her daughter, Christina Wirz, who was a member of Switzerland's 1983 World champion curling team.
Robin Dixon and Tony Nash – Bobsleigh (1964)
The two-man bobsleigh team of Tony Nash and Robin Dixon made history at the Innsbruck Games, becoming Britain's first gold medallists in sliding sports. They edged out two Italian teams by a mere 0.12 seconds after a 4-minute, 21-second run. Their legacy endures with a curve at the St Moritz-Celerina Olympic Bobrun named in their honour. Dixon later entered politics as Lord Glentoran, serving as Shadow Minister for Northern Ireland and Shadow Minister for Sport for the Conservative Party.
John Curry – Figure Skating (1976)
Twelve years after the previous gold, Britain celebrated another Olympic champion at the Innsbruck Games with John Curry. By April 1976, Curry held the European, World, and Olympic titles in men's singles, widely regarded as the world's greatest skater. His Olympic final performance earned the highest score ever recorded. That same year, he came out as gay, becoming the first openly gay elite sportsperson globally. After retiring to develop a touring skating company, Curry was diagnosed with HIV in 1987 and passed away in 1994 from an AIDS-related heart attack.
Robin Cousins – Figure Skating (1980)
At the Lake Placid Games, Robin Cousins, son of a Millwall goalkeeper from Bristol, took up the mantle from Curry. Despite earning fewer points than silver medallist Jan Hoffman of Germany, Cousins won gold under the cumulative ranking system across compulsory figures, short programme, and long programme. His stunning long programme performance, scoring 5.9 out of 6, secured the victory. This triumph earned him the 1980 Sports Personality of the Year award, and he later won four World Professional Figure Skating titles.
Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean – Figure Skating (1984)
Ice dancing, introduced in 1976, became synonymous with Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean in Britain. After placing fifth in 1980, they quit their jobs to focus on the sport, winning four consecutive World Championships from 1981 to 1984. At the Sarajevo Games, an astounding 24 million Britons watched them achieve Olympic immortality, receiving 12 perfect 6.0 scores—a record that still stands. Following a nine-year professional hiatus, regulation changes allowed them to compete at Lillehammer in 1994, where they won a bronze medal.
Women's Team – Curling (2002)
Nearly two decades passed before Britain's next winter gold, won by the women's curling team of Rhona Martin, Debbie Knox, Fiona MacDonald, Janice Rankin, and Margaret Morton in Salt Lake City. Their path was arduous, requiring tie-breakers against Sweden and Germany to advance from the first round as the lowest seed. In the semi-finals, a dramatic final-end victory over top seeds Canada set up a final against Switzerland, where they clinched a 4-3 win with the deciding stone in the last end.
Amy Williams – Skeleton (2010)
Skeleton became a permanent Olympic fixture in 2002, benefiting British athletes like Amy Williams. Inspired by Bath's push-start track during her undergraduate studies, Williams quickly rose to become Britain's top skeleton athlete. At the Vancouver Games, she broke the track record twice and won by 0.56 seconds, despite never having won a World Cup or World Championship race. Injuries led to her retirement in 2012, after which she became a presenter on Ski Sunday and the Gadget Show, and competed in Wales Rally GB.
Lizzy Yarnold – Skeleton (2014 and 2018)
Lizzy Yarnold stands as Britain's most decorated winter Olympian, with back-to-back gold medals in Sochi and Pyeongchang. Recruited through UK Sport's Girls4Gold campaign, she progressed from junior categories around 2011. In Sochi, she dominated, setting the fastest time on all four runs and winning by almost a second overall, earning a BBC Sports Personality of the Year nomination. The 2018 Games presented immense challenges: Yarnold took a year off to prevent burnout, was diagnosed with a vestibular disorder affecting her balance, and arrived with a chest infection. After falling to third place, she rallied with a track-record final run to win by 0.45 seconds, with teammate Laura Deas taking bronze.
Women's Team – Curling (2022)
At the Beijing Games, Great Britain's women's curling team—Hailey Duff, Jennifer Dodds, Vicky Wright, and captain Eve Muirhead—secured gold after a tense campaign. With five wins from nine round-robin games, they advanced to the semi-finals against second seeds Sweden, winning 11-10 in an extra end. In the final, they swept aside surprise contenders Japan 10-3. This victory salvaged a disappointing Olympics for Team GB, as no medals had been won until the men's curling team earned silver the previous day.
As the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics unfold, these 12 gold medal triumphs serve as a powerful testament to Britain's enduring spirit and capability in winter sports. From the early pioneers to modern-day heroes, each story adds to a legacy that continues to inspire future generations of athletes.
