Team GB set Winter Olympics medal target

UK Sport has confirmed Team GB's medal target for the Winter Olympics is three, with at least two the goal for the Paralympics.

The nation's high performance sports agency has invested over £14m of National Lottery and Government funding in backing the country's best athletes over the Sochi 'four-year cycle'.

If the agreed targets are met it would represent Great Britain's best combined Olympic and Paralympic performance in 20 years.

Liz Nicholl, CEO of UK Sport, said: "In aligning our investment approach for winter sports with that of summer sports at the start of the current cycle, our athletes head into Sochi better supported, prepared and equipped than ever before.

"Realising our goal would represent our best combined winter performance since Lillehammer 1994, and equal our best Olympic performance since 1936.

"If achieved, this would demonstrate the fantastic momentum created by London 2012, where additional investment and focus on developing our high performance system has benefited summer and winter sports alike."

Simon Timson, Director of Performance at UK Sport, said: "These are challenging targets for the winter sports. UK Sport's record investment of funds and expertise has enabled more sports to develop and deliver world class programmes to more athletes over the past four years.

"The outcome of this investment combined with the sports' hard work has been evident in a growing group of winter athletes consistently competing for medals in World Cups and major Championships over the past 18 months. During my 24 years involved in winter sport, I cannot remember a time when Great Britain has had so many talented athletes so well prepared.

"The Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games represent the pinnacle of performance and the challenge is to deliver on the day. I feel confident our athletes, coaches and Performance Directors have left no stone unturned to put themselves in the best possible position to succeed in Sochi."

Minister for Sport, Helen Grant, said: "We will have a very strong British team out in Sochi supported by record amounts of public funding. I know our winter sports athletes will be raring to go when they reach the start line and they have the potential to deliver our best medal tally in generations. The whole country is behind them."