If you’re trying to find out how Great Britain did at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, here’s the short version: Team GB sent a 53-strong squad, its largest ever for a Winter Games, and came home with five medals (three gold, one silver, one bronze), matching the country’s best-ever Winter Olympic return, according to Olympics.com. The Games ran in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, from 6 to 22 February 2026.
Below is the full picture: who was selected, who carried the flag, which sports Britain competed in, and where to catch the highlights if you missed them live.
When Were the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics?
The Olympic Winter Games ran from 6 to 22 February 2026, split across venues in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. The Paralympic Winter Games followed from 6 to 15 March 2026. In total, close to 2,900 athletes from more than 90 countries competed across 116 events in eight sports and 16 disciplines, per Olympics.com.
How Many Athletes Were in Team GB’s Squad?
Team GB confirmed a 53-strong squad (30 men and 23 women) on Monday 26 January 2026, competing across 11 sports over 19 days. That made it Britain’s largest Winter Olympic team on record.
Former curler Eve Muirhead, who skipped the British women’s team to gold in Beijing 2022, served as Chef de Mission for the Games, a role she was announced for back in May 2024.
Who Carried the Flag for Team GB?
Lilah Fear (ice dance) and Brad Hall (bobsleigh) carried the flag at the opening ceremony. Matt Weston (skeleton) and Charlotte Bankes (snowboard cross) carried it at the closing ceremony.
Team GB’s Squad by Sport: Who to Know
Figure Skating
British Ice Skating sent 10 of the 53 athletes, roughly 19% of the whole squad, including an eight-strong figure skating team, Britain’s biggest at a Winter Olympics since Calgary 1988. Ice dancers Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson led the group as world bronze medallists and the most decorated British ice dance pair in history. Phebe Bekker and James Hernandez made their Olympic debut in ice dance, alongside pairs skaters Anastasia Vaipan-Law and Luke Digby, and singles skaters Kristen Spours and Edward Appleby.
Curling
Bruce Mouat skipped the men’s team into Milano Cortina as reigning world champion, looking to go one better than his previous Olympic silver. Jennifer Dodds led the women’s team as they attempted to defend the Olympic title Britain won in Beijing 2022, the only defence attempt in the entire squad.
Skeleton and Bobsleigh
Matt Weston arrived as both reigning world champion and overall World Cup winner in men’s skeleton, with Marcus Wyatt, a world silver medallist, also in the squad at the Cortina Sliding Centre. Brad Hall’s four-man and two-man bobsleigh crews were named as genuine medal contenders heading into the Games.
Snowboard and Freestyle Skiing
Zoe Atkin went in as reigning world champion in women’s freestyle skiing halfpipe, fresh off a Winter X Games Aspen win. Mia Brookes, the 2023 world slopestyle champion who became the youngest snowboarding world champion in history at just 16, returned for her second Olympics at age 19. Charlotte Bankes competed in snowboard cross as the 2021 world champion, teaming up again with Huw Nightingale in the mixed team event after their 2023 world title together. Kirsty Muir and Gus Kenworthy were also named among the freeski and slopestyle contingent.
Alpine Skiing
Dave Ryding used Milano Cortina 2026 as his fifth and final Olympics before retirement, alongside Billy Major and Laurie Taylor in the men’s slalom squad. Ryding’s best Olympic result stands at ninth, from PyeongChang.
How Did Team GB Do at Milano Cortina 2026?
Team GB finished with five medals overall: three gold, one silver and one bronze, ranking 15th in the medal table, according to Olympics.com. That ties Britain’s previous best Winter Olympic medal tallies from Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2018, and marks a clear improvement on Beijing 2022, where the team won just two medals (one gold, one silver, both in curling).
The pre-Games medal target set by UK Sport was 4 to 8 medals, so the final total landed at the lower end of that range while still matching the country’s historic high point.
Britain’s Winter Olympic History, in Brief
Great Britain first competed at a Winter Olympics at Chamonix in 1924, taking part in bobsleigh, curling, figure skating, ice hockey and speed skating. That same year produced Britain’s first Winter Olympic gold medal, in men’s curling, a piece of history that curling fans still bring up whenever a British rink goes deep into a major tournament.
How to Watch Team GB Highlights in the UK
Coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics in the UK was shared between the BBC and TNT Sports, with live streams and highlights packages running across both broadcasters throughout the 19 days of competition. If you missed the Games live, catch-up highlights and full replays are generally available through BBC iPlayer and the TNT Sports app, though availability windows vary by rights agreement, so check each platform directly for what’s still up.
FAQS
When were the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics held?
The Olympic Winter Games ran from 6 to 22 February 2026 in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. The Paralympic Winter Games followed from 6 to 15 March 2026.
How many athletes were in the Team GB squad?
Team GB selected 53 athletes, 30 men and 23 women, across 11 sports, making it the largest British team ever sent to a Winter Olympics.
Who carried the Team GB flag at Milano Cortina 2026?
Lilah Fear and Brad Hall carried the flag at the opening ceremony, with Matt Weston and Charlotte Bankes carrying it at the closing ceremony.
How many medals did Team GB win at Milano Cortina 2026?
Team GB won five medals in total: three gold, one silver and one bronze, finishing 15th in the medal table and matching the country’s best-ever Winter Olympics return.
Was Team GB defending any Olympic titles in 2026?
Yes. Jennifer Dodds’ women’s curling team went into the Games defending the Olympic title Britain won in Beijing 2022, the only defending champions in the squad.
Who were Team GB’s biggest medal hopes going into the Games?
Reigning world champions Zoe Atkin (freestyle skiing halfpipe), Matt Weston (skeleton) and Bruce Mouat (curling) were among the highest-profile hopefuls, alongside ice dance world bronze medallists Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson.
Where can I watch Team GB’s Milano Cortina 2026 highlights?
Coverage was split between the BBC and TNT Sports in the UK, with catch-up content available on BBC iPlayer and the TNT Sports app, subject to each platform’s usual rights windows.
Was this Dave Ryding’s last Olympics?
Yes, The alpine skier confirmed Milano Cortina 2026 as his fifth and final Winter Olympics before retiring from competition.
