Aylesbury's Ellia Smeding on track to make history for Team GB in Beijing Winter Olympics

Aylesbury’s Ellia Smeding will make history when she competes for Great Britain next week in the 2022 Winter Olympics.

In Beijing Smeding, 23, will become the first female long track speed skater to represent Team GB for 42 years.

Not since Kim Ferran and Mandy Horsepool in 1980 has there been a British competitor in the discipline .

She sealed historic qualification for the Games alongside boyfriend Cornelius Kersten and studies law part-time in Groningen, Netherlands, where the pair are currently based.

The talented speed skater is going to China in great form, having broken British records in the 1000m and 1500m in the lead-up to the Games and will take on those two events on her Olympic debut.

Announcing her place in the 50-strong team on her Facebook page last week, she said: “ It’s been one crazy journey to get here, but this feels like the biggest reward for all the hard work and sacrifices over the years.

“I can barely believe I’ll be part of team GB and that I get to share this experience with some really amazing athletes.”

The finals of the 1500m are on Monday morning (8.30-9.50am UK time).

with the 1000m finals on Sunday February 13 (1.56pm-2.37pm UK time).