Ed Appleby is refusing to be swept along by Winter Olympic fever in a bid to remain focussed on the job at hand.
The 21-year-old will be making his Games debut at Milano Cortina as part of the Team GB contingent selected for the figure skating team event.
The up-and-coming star from Wivenhoe revealed he is trying to strike a balance between soaking up the Olympic atmosphere and concentrating on competition.
Despite becoming an Olympian set to be the biggest moment of his fledgling career so far, one which has also seen Appleby win three-consecutive British men’s singles titles and compete at multiple World and European Championships, he said his priority would be to maintain a level head.
“I think for me, when I first step on the ice, I’ll try to keep calm and treat it as any other competition in that moment,” he said.
“Once it’s finished and you have to take your bow in the middle, that’s when I’ll take an extra second to look around and embrace what’s happened to me.
“Once I’ve got the program done, I’ll feel it more, but until then I’ll be focussing on getting my job done.”
Having arrived in Italy last Sunday, Appleby, whose Team GB skating teammates include flag bearer Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson, is enjoying his time on the slopes as he gets to grips with the scale of the occasion.
He continued: “It’s a lot of fun. I’ve had a couple of practices, and the ice is really nice and it’s quite interesting being here in the village. It’s just a different experience to any other competition that I’ve had before, so it’s very exciting. It’s all new and it might take a second to settle in, but it’s a very good experience.”
Figure skating is a family affair for Appleby, whose sister Alexandra and brother Elliot formerly competed competitively on the ice.
He has leaned on advice from his siblings, who encouraged him to savour the experience.
“The main thing they’ve said is to just enjoy it,” said Appleby, who boasts an impressive 16-second personal best time to complete a Rubik’s cube.
“It’s a competition you only get once every four years and obviously that’s a reason for it not to be missed. It’s something quite special. Just enjoy the moment and don’t take anything for granted they said to me. For anyone to get here, it’s like a dream coming true.”
Reflecting on qualification, Appleby played down his own celebrations having missed out on a singles place but instead focussed on the wider team achievement of being able to send one of the biggest British ice-skating squads ever to an Olympics.
“I think it’s a real testament to the work the other athletes have been putting in over the last few years,” he added. “To see that growth and to see what they’ve all done to get here and make this team, it’s nice to be part of. We’ll all be supporting each other through these Games.”
Sportsbeat 2026