Winter Olympics: Speed skater Kathryn Thomson goes from furniture shop to second Games

Bejing is Kathryn Thomson's second Olympics

Of the hundreds of athletes competing at the Winter Olympics, some will have their sights firmly on a shiny medal. There are plenty of others, though, for whom just being there is a success story in itself.

Great Britain's short track speed skater Kathryn Thomson may yet win a shock medal in Beijing, but her achievement of being on the start line should not be underestimated.

Having lost her funding for virtually the whole Olympic cycle, the 26-year-old had to take a year out when the Covid pandemic hit, moved in with her parents and worked in a furniture shop to try to piece together the money to keep going in the sport.

On Saturday, she races in the 500m heats in the short track speed skating in China, her first event of three (including the 1000m and 1500m) of the Games.

"Knowing that I've [not only] worked hard on my athlete side of things to be here but also worked hard to fund being here makes it so much more special and important that I've made it," Thomson says. "I'm very proud of myself."

In trying to gather the money to make her Olympic dream a reality, she owes a debt of gratitude to her parents, who helped make it happen.

When the elite funding stopped coming in, Thomson went out to Italy to live and compete for a year, before Covid brought her back to Ayrshire. Mum and Dad, plus her own dogged determination, meant she would not give up.

Over a year out enjoying working in Dunelm while keeping fit helped her feel refreshed, though there were always the thought of never going back on the ice.

"That has been a constant thought running along in my head these past four years," Thomson says. "It's been incredibly difficult because I feel like I've got a lot to give but not had the opportunity to be able to get the best out of myself.

"But I absolutely love what I do and no matter how tough it gets I always have to keep going."

Beijing will be Thomson's second Olympics, having competed in Pyeongchang four years ago. She says she's more used to the extra trimmings the Games this time around, which is allowing her to focus on purely on performance.

"I think success would just be me going out and having fun," she adds. "I guess for everyone at home just seeing no matter what the challenges are, if you want something bad enough, you can chase that dream, just go out there and do it."