From the 6th-22nd February, Team GB will be competing alongside 90 other nations at the Winter Olympics in Italy. Three individuals born in Essex have earned themselves a place on the squad and are ready to shine on the world stage. Taking part in Freestyle Skiing disciplines and Figure Skating, Edward Appleby from Wivenhoe and Gus Kenworthy and Makayle Gerken – Schofield, both from Chelmsford have all fought their way through a tough selection process for the chance to represent their country.
Ahead of the games, we wanted to introduce you to all of them and tell you a little bit about their form going into the games, as well as some of the accolades they’ve picked up along the way to representing their country.
First up is Edward Appleby, aged 21 from Wivenhoe.
Wivenhoe’s Edward Appleby is a highly accomplished figure skater, and three-time British Champion. Appleby will take part in the team event at what will be his first Winter Olympic Games. He has made steady progress through the British ranks in the last few years, gathering junior medals on the international stage and demonstrating promise in the senior level competitions he has taken part in.
Although Appleby missed out on a place in the individual men’s competition, he earned his place in the team event and has spoken about the mixture of excitement and disbelief he feels heading into the Games. To manage pre competition tension, he enjoys solving a Rubix cube. This is something that is said to help stay calm, and something he has enjoyed since childhood.
This year’s figure skating team make history for British figure skating, with Team GB sending its largest figure skating cohort since 1988, an achievement that Edward and the whole of Essex should be incredibly proud of.
Next in our trio of Essex residents heading to the Games is Winter Olympics Veteran – Gus Kenworthy.
Gus Kenworthy, aged 34, born in Chelmsford and now living in the States returns for his fourth Winter Olympics, continuing a decorated career that began with an Olympic Silver at the Sochi Games in 2014. After taking a break from competitive skiing following the 2022 Games, Kenworthy reignited his competitive ambitions and made a come back last year, once again earning a spot at these Games with Team GB.
Gus takes part in the Freeski Halfpipe competition, a freestyle skiing event where athletes ride through a large U-shaped snow ramp, launching off each side to perform spins, flips and other aerial tricks as they travel down the pipe. Judges score runs based on amplitude (height), difficulty of tricks, execution, variety, and overall flow.
Kenworthy’s path back to the Olympics has been demanding. He has openly acknowledged that this Olympic cycle represents his final genuine chance to return to elite competition, aware that the timeframe to rebuild his abilities was extremely limited. Even so, after dealing with injuries and a lengthy break from the sport, he has worked his way back into strong form and will arrive in Italy prepared for the Freeski Halfpipe.
A fun fact about Gus is that he was cast as Chet Clancy in the ninth season of the horror anthology series American Horror Story: 1984!
Known both for his sporting achievements and his profile as an openly gay athlete, Kenworthy continues to inspire both on and off the snow.
Our third and final Essex born athlete heading to the games is Makayla Gerken Schofield, also from Chelmsford.
Chelmsford born Makayla Gerken Schofield, aged 26 is fast becoming one of Britain’s standout freestyle skiers. She made headlines during her Olympic debut in Beijing 2022 by securing 8th place in the Moguls Skiing competition, the highest finish ever achieved by a Briton in that event.
Moguls skiing is a freestyle event where athletes race down a slope covered in tightly packed snow bumps, using quick, controlled turns and performing aerial tricks off two jumps along the course
Since the Beijing Games, she has continued to progress, including winning a World Cup dual moguls bronze medal in 2023.
Off the slopes, Gerken Schofield is also a visible and respected figure within the LGBTQ+ sporting community, known as the only openly LGBTQ+ woman set to compete for Team GB at the 2026 Winter Games. She uses her platform to promote inclusion and support others within snow sport.
The combination of her athletic determination and commitment to representation make her a truly inspirational Essex athlete and one to watch at this year’s games.
The Games will be the first to be officially co-hosted by two cities, with Milan primarily hosting ice events, and the remaining events being hosted in clusters around Cortina, and the Valtellina and Fiemme valleys. They will mark the third Winter Olympics, and fourth overall, to be hosted by Italy.
The Games will also feature the debut of ski mountaineering as a Winter Olympic event.
Whether on the ice, the mogul’s course or soaring through a halfpipe, these athletes each individually show their commitment to excellence. If like us you’re inspired by their stories to date, then you can keep up to date with their progress at the games online or by watching on TNT and Discovery +. The games begin on Friday 6th February, with Edward’s campaign starting on the same day, and Gus’ and Makayla’s on Tuesday 10th.
We wish them all the best of luck and can’t wait to see how they get on!
