Winter Olympics: Team GB look to 'girl power' for glory

Girl power could warm the nations hearts at the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.

Even with leading lady Katie Ormerod watching Friday’s opening ceremony from her hospital bed after fracturing her heel in training and undergoing surgery, Team GB’s ice maidens are still ready to rule the world.

Short track speed skater Elise Christie gets her campaign underway on Saturday, Lizzy Yarnold defends her skeleton title and freestyle skiers Izzy Atkin and Katie Summerhayes have undoubted podium potential.

And then you have Eve Muirhead and her curling rink, bronze medallists last time and reigning European champions.

“I love all the powerful women on this team,” said Muirhead.

“It’s great to be a female role model. From a young age I saw the problems with getting girls into sport.

“You watch all these girls doing cool sports like skiing or skating or snowboarding and it’s inspiring.

“If you are kid watching on the television, why wouldn’t you think I can do that?”

Yarnold carried the flag at last night’s opening ceremony – though she was overshadowed by a barechested man from Tonga who only took up cross-country skiing last year.

She is seeking to be the first Brit to retain a Winter Olympic title and insists confidence is high.

“You can tell we have a strong team,” she said. “There is a relaxed confidence and focus. I can’t wait for this to be hopefully our best Winter Olympics.”

Meanwhile, the boys didn’t have the best of starts as Olympic events got under way in the early hours – Billy Morgan, Jamie Nicholls and Rowan Coultas all failed to make Sunday’s snowboard slopestyle final.

Morgan and Nicholls were finalists two years ago but struggled in the difficult conditions – and must now look ahead to the big air event in the second week of the Games.

“I think we can all take it forward in the big air. Hopefully we’ll be able to turn around some of the luck we’ve had,” said Morgan, who finished tenth in his heat with only the top six advancing.

“I’m pretty gutted. I had a really strong practice and I went in feeling good and chilled. On the second run I had so much headwind, there was just nothing I could do about it. I barely made it over the jump. It’s just a bad roll of the dice.

“My knee was a factor in training. I’ve been having loads of physio and keeping on top with it. It just prevents me from riding loads and that limits my practice.”

Injuries

Nicholls admitted he wanted to deliver for cousin Katie Ormerod, who was ruled out of her Olympic debut after two training injuries.

And he thought the judges could have been more generous with his run, after he ranked eighth in his heat.

“It was obviously devastating for me when Katie hurt herself. I was really upset,” he said.

“I wanted to do this for Katie. She text me after my first run to say ‘good work, keep it up.’

“I was just glad I could land my first run for all my family and friends back home.”

Don’t miss a moment of the Olympic Winter Games on Eurosport and Eurosport Player. Go to www.Eurosport.co.uk