Beijing - players.bio

'Rocket' Ryding brought crashing back down to earth after World Cup lift-off

Dave Ryding ended last week on top of the skiing world only to be brought back down to earth with a bump three days later. In Kitzbuehel on Saturday, the 35-year-old from Pendle became the first Brit ever to win an alpine skiing World Cup event, claiming victory in the slalom on the legendary slopes in Austria. Ad/> By Tuesday Ryding was not even the fastest Brit on the circuit, beaten by training partner Billy Major a couple of hours down the road in Schladming, with Major 18th and Ryding 20th.

With tensions high, Russia aims for large medal haul at Beijing Olympics

Russia is heading to the Beijing Olympics against a backdrop of international tension, and not for the first time.

Beijing Olympics 2022 - ‘Athlete life can be lonely, we’re really lucky’ - Team GB's Cornelius Kersten and Ellia Smeding

Move over Laura and Jason Kenny — there is a new Team GB Olympic couple to focus on in the coming weeks, when Cornelius Kersten and Ellia Smeding become Britain’s first long track speed skaters in 30 years. They will be a breath of fresh air in Beijing as two athletes who are grounded and know sport is not the most important thing in life.

Beijing Olympics spotlight: The pressure on face of the Games Eileen Gu is immense

Eileen Gu is already one of the most marketable sports people on the planet. At the age of 18, the freestyle skier and model is the best women’s halfpipe athlete in the world and she has already been on the cover of Vogue. The extremely talented teenager is the face of the Beijing Olympics, but from the outside she is at the centre of a soft power grab by China, whether she likes it or not.