Mike Hay will lead Team GB as its Chef de Mission at the next Olympic Winter Games, set to be held in Pyeonghang, South Korea during February 2018.
Hay will lead the delegation for a second time after overseeing Team GB’s joint most successful Games four years ago at Sochi 2014 with the team returning home with four medals, including skeleton gold for Lizzy Yarnold.
A winner of five European curling titles and two World Championship silver medals as an athlete, the 53-year-old then guided Team GB’s women’s rink to Olympic gold as Performance Director at Salt Lake City in 2002 following Rhona Martin’s 'stone of destiny'.
Awarded an MBE in 2004, Hay joined the BOA in October 2006 and headed up Team GB’s Preparation Camp at Vancouver 2010 and London 2012 before acting as Deputy Chef de Mission at Rio 2016 this summer. He is currently the BOA’s Head of Sport Engagement and was unanimously approved by the BOA’s Board of Directors as Chef de Mission for 2018.
“To be asked to lead Team GB again is a huge honour and I’m delighted to be Chef de Mission for Pyeongchang 2018,” said Hay.
“The success of the team four years ago gave the nation great cause to be proud of our winter Olympians and helped put winter sport at the forefront of our sporting landscape.
“Winter sport has always been a great passion of mine and, coupled with the experience from Sochi 2014, I hope we can once again deliver a fantastic Games for our athletes.”
Pyeongchang will become the third Asian city to the host the Games, which are set to run from February 9 to 25 2018, following on from Sapporo 1972 and Nagano 1998.
Four new events will feature on the programme from Sochi 2014 with snowboard big air, curling mixed doubles, speed skating mass start and the alpine skiing team event added from four years ago.
“No one is better qualified to lead Team GB at the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games than Mike Hay and we’re delighted to confirm him as our Chef de Mission,” said BOA Chief Executive Bill Sweeney.
“Following on from Sochi 2014 and Rio 2016, in which Mike played a vital role as Deputy Chef de Mission, Team GB is going from strength to strength as the success of the team and Olympic sport as a whole continues.
“Pyeongchang 2018 is set to be a fantastic Games and represents another opportunity to inspire the nation and galvanise support behind Team GB once again.”