Coe upbeat about Sochi medal chances

Seb Coe believes Team GB's Sochi bound athletes are poised and ready to deliver more famous Olympic moments in Russia.

The British Olympic Association chairman is upbeat about the chances of a small but strong squad that is expected to number just over 50 when the Games open in February.

Team GB will travel to Sochi with numerous medal chances including reigning world champions Shelley Rudman and Eve Muirhead in skeleton and curling respectively.

Short track speed skater Elise Christie, freestyle skier James Woods and the men's curling rink all won world medals last season.

In addition, in recent weeks the British four man bobsleigh team won their first World Cup medal in 16 years while Lizzy Yarnold is ranked number one in women's skeleton after four podiums in four races, including two golds.

Elsewhere, men's skeleton slider Dominic Parsons won his first World Cup medal while snowboarders Zoe Gillings and Billy Morgan and freestyle skier Katie Summerhayes have also shown podium potential in 2013.

“Without predicting the medals I think it’s fair to say we won’t have ever taken a more talented group of athletes of both potential and depth to a winter games. There’s an outside edge chance that we could do really well," said Coe.

“I think there’s still an appetite for Olympic sport that lingers after London 2012.

"Actually some of the biggest moments in British sport and some of the biggest moments in television have actually been the Winter Olympics.

"You think of Torvill and Dean's gold medal in Sarajevo, it's one of the most watched television events in British history.

"And the whole nation stayed up until the early hours to watch Rhona Howie and the girls win curling gold in Salt Lake City.

"We’ve always recognised that on occasions we’ve had great performances at Winter Olympics."

© Sportsbeat 2013