Montell Douglas column: Life at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics

Montell Douglas is a Team GB bobsleigh brakewoman, set to race with Mica McNeill at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. She is also a former sprinter for Great Britain, competing in the 100m and relay at the 2008 summer Olympics, also in Beijing. This is her fourth BBC Sport column.

We've been in China for nearly three weeks now, but our competition doesn't start until Friday.

This time has been important for my team-mate Mica McNeill and I to adjust to the time zone, adjust to the evening race schedule and get our bodies and minds prepped for what is to come.

But it also meant I could go to the opening ceremony, and it will forever be one of the most memorable moments of my sporting career.

Walking out onto a lit floor towards those Olympic rings, in my favourite stadium in the world, was indescribable.

Fourteen years ago, in the very same stadium, I walked at the closing ceremony and helped Great Britain welcome the Olympics to its new home for London 2012.

That was breathtaking, but to be back experiencing the beginning of a journey for this Games and many athletes, but the end of my journey, was emotional.

In 2008, I never got to go to the opening ceremony as we weren't in the village yet, so it was important for me to go this time in the same stadium I ran the 100m in at my first Olympic Games.

Back then, I had no idea I would be attending another Olympics, let alone a winter one. The journey up until now has been a whirlwind — full of ups, downs, injuries and celebrations. It is not easy as one can imagine.

The percentage of those that make an Olympic Games is very small. Those that go to two is even smaller. Then there are those that get to go to both a summer and winter Games. And finally, those who go to a summer and