Britain will have one male and one female athlete at Sochi 2014, continuing the nation’s fine run of having competed at every Games since biathlon was introduced to the Olympic programme for Squaw Valley 1960.
Only five other nations have fielded athletes at each of the 14 Games between Squaw Valley 1960 and Vancouver 2010 – France, Germany, Norway, Sweden and the USA joining Britain in that honour.
Three British men are vying for the sole spot at Sochi 2014 – Lee Jackson, who took the one and only spot at Vancouver 2010, Kevin Kane and Marcel Laponder.
Jackson and Kane hold the advantage over Laponder and each have four Olympic qualifying standards and so will both start the opening World Cup of the season in Sweden. Laponder only has one Olympic qualifying standard.
Britain will field a female biathlete for the first time since Turin 2006 when Emma Fowler joined Tom Clemens. Amanda Lightfoot is the top-ranked British athlete and has three Olympic qualifying standards with the minimum being two.