Elise Christie, a former Team GB star, has announced her surprise decision to make a U-turn on retirement from speed skating after only two months, after watching from the sidelines at the 2022 Winter Olympics.
Olympic Star Comeback
After a series of ailments, the three-time world champion retired from speed skating, failing to qualify for the Winter Olympics in China this year after finishing second to fellow Scot Kathryn Thomson in qualifying last month.
Christie competed in the last three Winter Olympics but was never awarded a medal after being disqualified from all three of her events in Sochi 2014, then two more in Pyeongchang 2018, along with a fourth-place result.
Elise Christie told BBC Sport while covering the Olympics: “Watching the 500m events the other day, I’ve made a vow that I’m going to do everything that I can to try to get back out at the next one. I’m not going to be skating the 1,500m though, that’s a promise.”
“I’ve already been talking to Sarah (Sarah Lindsay), I need to get back in shape, she’s very experienced in that and I’ve had discussions with Nick (Nick Gooch) who was on the other day. I’m going to have to go abroad realistically, be self-funded, and I am figuring all of that out. I need some time to do that, but I am going to start getting back into shape, I’ve had three months of eating cookies.”
Her Previous Performance
At the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, Scot’s Olympic debut ended with three finishes outside the top ten. She was disqualified in all three of her events in Sochi in 2014. In the 500m, she advanced to the A final but was disqualified after causing an accident. She was later disqualified in the 1,500m heats for failing to cross the finish line and instead of sprinting 1cm wide, as well as the 1,000m semi-final for another accident.
Further disappointment came in Pyeongchang in 2018, when she finished fourth in the 500m after crashing after her hand looked to be kicked out from beneath her by Dutch skater Yara van Kerkhof. She was then disqualified in the semi-final of the 1,500m and had to go to the hospital.
