Two figure skaters who train at the Link Centre in Swindon have made their first appearance at the 2026 Winter Olympics representing Team GB.
The Winter Olympics is officially underway in Milan, and among the hundreds of elite athletes competing on the world stage are Swindon competitors Kristen Spours, 25, and Ed Appleby, 21.
Both figure skaters train at the Link Centre in Swindon, and have told media that competing at the Winter Olympic games is a dream come true. Both are coached by four-time British champion Chris Boyadji at the Swindon Ice Figure Club.
After the first day of competition, Team GB currently sits ninth overall in Team Figure Skating, and both Swindon skaters played a big role in bringing home points.
Here's how they got on.
Edward Appleby
Appleby comes all the way from Colchester to train at the Link Centre and also overcame an injury, an ankle in his case, to win the British Championships in November last year and finished 24th in the recent European Championships.
The 21-year-old is part of the GB squad in the team event, which is the first time Team GB have been in that event since Sochi 2014.
Edward Appleby had a great start on Saturday, February 7, as he closed out Team GB's Figure Skating Team Event campaign with a season's best 69.68 in the Men's Short Program.
His composed performance on the biggest stage earned valuable points for Team GB.
Following the skate, he said: "I feel like I’m on quite a bit of a high right now.
"Obviously it wasn’t a completely clean skate but it felt very solid and it was one that let me enjoy the moment even more.
"Rather than just, ‘Okay this is when I become an Olympian,’ I put out what I have been training and I could be proud of the hard work that was put in to get here and it came together in the moment.”
Kristen Spours
25-year-old Kristen Spours, the current British champion, is from Kingston upon Thames but trains in Swindon, and has had plenty to overcome ahead of the competition in Italy.
Speaking to the BBC, she discussed how she had overcome a back injury sustained shortly after qualifying at the World Championships to get ready for the Winter Games.
She said: “I was done at that point. I thought it was over. I couldn't fathom a world where I would ever be back.
“I think you often don't stand back and look at how far you've come. I've worked my life to become an Olympian, and that's my story. It is less about medals and more about resilience.”
This is Spour’s first Winter Olympics, and she has begun by competing in the Women's Short programme on Saturday, February 7.
Spours placed 10th, with a score of 48.28 and earning one team point.
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The Olympic Figure Skating Team Event combines four disciplines - Men's Singles, Women's Singles, Pairs and Ice Dance.
Team GB's final ninth position was gained across four performances, two of which were performed by Spours and Appleby.
Appleby is next expected to appear on February 9, in the Team Event Free Skate for men, women and pairs.
Spours is next expected to compete in the Women's Short on February 17, followed by the Women's Free Skate on February 19.
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