Quick Read
- Kristen Spours, 25, is making her Olympic debut at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games for Great Britain.
- She is the current British champion and will compete in the women’s singles event starting February 17.
- Spours overcame a significant back injury and surgery sustained shortly after qualifying for the Olympics.
- She has announced her intention to retire from competitive skating later this year due to ongoing difficulties.
- Team GB is participating in the figure skating team event, which began on February 6, for the first time since Sochi 2014.
MILANO CORTINA (Azat TV) – British figure skating champion Kristen Spours is making her highly anticipated Olympic debut at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games, which officially commenced on February 6. The 25-year-old, representing Great Britain in the women’s singles event, is stepping onto the world stage after a remarkable recovery from a severe back injury and with the declared intention to retire from the sport later this year.
Spours, who holds the title of current British champion, has been a central figure in Great Britain’s figure skating contingent. Her journey to the 2026 Olympics has been particularly challenging, marked by a significant back injury that she sustained shortly after qualifying for the Games at the World Championships. The injury required surgery and threatened to derail her lifelong dream.
Spours’ Battle with Injury and Resilience
The road to Milano Cortina was paved with adversity for Kristen Spours, who openly discussed the physical and emotional toll of her injury. Speaking to the BBC, Spours recounted the moment she feared her career was over. “I was done at that point. I thought it was over. I couldn’t fathom a world where I would ever be back,” she stated, highlighting the depth of her despair. Her subsequent recovery and return to competitive form underscore her immense resilience and dedication.
Despite the setbacks, Spours’ determination remained unwavering. She emphasized that her Olympic journey is less about securing medals and more about the personal triumph of overcoming obstacles. “I’ve worked my life to become an Olympian, and that’s my story. It is less about medals and more about resilience,” she affirmed. This perspective frames her participation as a testament to her enduring spirit rather than solely a pursuit of podium finishes.
Great Britain’s Presence at Milano Cortina 2026 Figure Skating
Kristen Spours is a key member of Team GB’s figure skating squad for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. She will compete in the women’s singles event, which is scheduled to begin on February 17. Alongside Spours, Edward Appleby, 21, is representing Great Britain in the men’s singles. Both skaters train at the Link Centre in Swindon, under the guidance of four-time British champion Chris Boyadji at the Swindon Ice Figure Club.
Team GB’s full roster for figure skating also includes Anastasia Vaipan-Law and Luke Digby in pairs, and Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson in ice dance. Notably, this marks the first time Team GB has participated in the figure skating team event since the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, with the event itself commencing on February 6, according to El-Balad. This broad representation signifies a renewed strategic investment in figure skating by the national federation.
Looking Beyond the Ice: Spours’ Future Plans
Adding a poignant layer to her Olympic debut, Kristen Spours has announced her intention to retire from competitive skating later this year. This decision comes as a direct consequence of the persistent difficulties she has faced following her back surgery. Her participation in the Milano Cortina Games, therefore, represents a final, powerful chapter in a career defined by both exceptional talent and unwavering fortitude.
Her story resonates within the broader context of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics, where national federations like those of the USA and Japan are making strategic selections to vie for dominance. While countries like the USA, with Alysa Liu, and Japan, with Kaori Sakamoto, are focused on reclaiming or asserting their global standing, Spours’ narrative offers a powerful counterpoint, emphasizing the individual human experience at the heart of the Olympic movement.
Kristen Spours’ Olympic debut at Milano Cortina 2026, marked by her courageous return from injury and her impending retirement, underscores the profound personal narratives that often transcend national rivalries and medal counts, offering a compelling example of athletic resilience and the human spirit’s capacity to achieve long-held dreams against significant odds.