Winter Olympics: Elise Christie wants to return for 2026 Games

Britain's Elise Christie has indicated she wants to return to competitive skating for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Christie, 31, retired from short-track speed skating in December.

The former world and European champion did not win a medal in three Winter Olympic appearances, missing out in 2014 and 2018 after controversial incidents.

But asked on Wednesday if she had made peace with the Olympics, Christie told BBC Sport: «No. I thought I had.»

She added: «Watching the 500m event the other day, I've made a vow I'm going to do everything I can to try to get back out at the next one.

»I'm not going to be skating the 1500m, though. That's a promise."

Christie has indicated she would focus on the shorter distances — 500m or 1,000m.

The Livingston-born skater, who has struggled with mental health and multiple injuries during her career, said at the time of her retirement her sporting career was not over, but she was planning to focus on coaching for the immediate future.

Working as a pundit on the BBC's television coverage of the Beijing Games, she indicated she was planning to work with coach Nicky Gooch and three-time Winter Olympian short-track speed skater Sarah Lindsay.

However, she suggested she would have to self-fund her bid to compete at the 2026 Games, to be staged in the Italian venues of Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo.

«Yeah. I've already been talking to Sarah, and we need to get back in shape,» Christie said.

«But we're going to have to be going abroad, realistically, and then self-funding and figuring all that out. So I need some time to do that. But I'm going to start getting back into shape. I've had three months of eating cookies.»

Speaking to BBC Breakfast earlier on Wednesday, Christie acknowledged that trying to qualify