Winter Olympics: Inside the Team GB accommodation in Beijing

Almost a week since Team GB began competing for Olympic gold there has been a distinct lack of representation on the winner’s podium, but its athletes have ensured at least one part of Beijing has been turned red, white and blue.

These are the first pictures from inside the Team’s home during Beijing 2022 where officials have worked to ensure the British medal hopefuls have all the comforts that the strict Chinese regulations will allow.

At a time when athletes are not allowed to venture outside the Olympic Village or official stadia, a few home comforts have been deemed essential.

Even the gymnasium within the British section of the Olympic Village is red, white and blue

A photo montage of some of the British athletes competing at the Games adorns the gym wall

The Team GB headquarters in the Olympic village comes with official Union flags, rugs and furnishings….and homely bedspreads, posters and cushions.

Team leaders arrived before the sportsmen and women and placed the toy ‘Pride the Lion’ on their beds and adorned the walls with their pictures and Union flags.

Bedside are oatmeal biscuits and energy bars and on the beds themselves were placed slippers embossed with the Team GB Olympic logo.

The 50 GB athletes were unable to get together for the traditional kitting out this year before heading to China due to Covid where gatherings were advised against.

It led British Olympic chiefs to resort to sending individuals uniforms and training gear with a video message wishing them good luck in China.

The exterior of the British headquarters in the Beijing Olympics Village – athletes and officials are not allowed to venture out of the Village except to compete in their events 

Each of the 50-strong British team received a few souvenirs, in including Team GB posters, a cuddly lion mascot and supplies of oatmeal biscuits and energy bars 

And a warm welcome awaited them inside the Olympic village official team living quarters.

The team has a ready store of British tea bags, food and drinks to see them through the next two weeks of competition.

Team GB Chef de Mission for Beijing 2022, Georgie Harland, said: ‘We take great pride in ensuring that when we take over our Olympic Village space .

‘We do everything we can to make it home home from home for the athletes and a sense that they are very much in a Team GB space.

‘We concentrate of ensuring we can provide performance advantages too and for the first time we have comprehensive gym space in the basement of our Villages for exclusive Team GB use.’

The gymnasium in the basement of the accommodation is for exclusive Team GB usage

There are 15 exercise bikes available for the athletes to keep themselves fit and healthy 

The team also have five video game stations, fifteen bikes, 40 smart TVs and sim cards have been distributed to allow them to access data and make phone calls.

Baked beans, tea bags and 1200 coffee pods and sports drinks have also been shipped to China for our Olympic hopefuls.

Curling star Bruce Mouat who finished fourth with fellow Scot Jennifer Dodds in the mixed doubles said: ‘ ‘I’m getting very excited just being in the Village and seeing all the other athletes. 

‘I’mm very happy with how we’re getting on and we’re still smiling and being happy out there.’

Bruce Mouat and Jennifer Dodds missed out on the medals in the mixed curling doubles event

Britain’s Cornelius Kersten in action during the men’s speed skating 1500m on Tuesday

Britain’s Kirsty Muir takes a tumble while competing in the Freestyle Skiing Big Air final

All that is missing is a medal or two to hang on the walls or be locked securely in the bedside cabinets of the team’s Beijing home.

But with the tournament yet reaching its half way stage, Team GB are confident a few gongs will be going home with the furniture.