'If I can inspire one person, it's worth it': Britain's sole Winter Olympic short track speed skater on his Milano-Cortina dreams
Niall Treacy has stated his intent to transform Great Britain into a short track speed skating powerhouse.
The 25-year-old has been announced as the only short track athlete for Britain at Milano Cortina 2026. It marks the Nottingham-based athlete's second Olympic Winter Games, having made his debut at Beijing 2022 alongside his older brother Farrell and Kathryn Thomson.
Team GB have won just one medal in the sport since it's first inclusion in the Games back in 1992, with Nicky Gooch storming to bronze at Lillehammer 1994, and Treacy is ready to showcase just what he can do in Milan.
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"I would love for the British public to love it as much as I do," he said. "Even if I can inspire one person to put on a pair of skates and start then it's worth it.
"I think sometimes at the Games, it has felt like short track has not had the best representation for Great Britain and so I would like to right that wrong and showcase that we can do it quite well in the UK."
Treacy finished 27th in the men's 1,000m at Beijing 2022 and after a roaring qualification period this year, now has the opportunity to add the 500m and 1,500m to his repertoire in Italy.
It proves that the three years since Beijing have been kind to the skater who noted that the ability to consistently compete on the world stage has been the key to his continued rise.
"Going into Beijing, I was 21 but not very experienced because I had missed two years of World Cup racing due to Covid," he said.
"I feel like a physically stronger and better skater, but I also feel like a smarter skater.
"There's more experience to draw on as you go to the Olympics and are racing the same guys that you've been racing for the last few years. I have a lot more tools in my locker than in 2022."
The Henley-in-Arden born athlete clinched men's 1,000m European silver in 2024 along with a bronze in the same event on the Beijing leg of the ISU Short Track World Tour.
And with silverware to his name, Treacy is hoping he can use that boost of confidence to take him all the way this February.
"From an individual standpoint, some of the results that I have done over the past year or last year have shown that if I race right, and have a bit of short track luck, then I am in a good position to get a medal," he said.
"But week in and week out I would like to be more consistent. I have the physical capabilities to race these guys and the medals show that to myself and others.
"I will need to take it each race as it comes but no one is unbeatable and so I need to use that to my advantage."
Despite being the only British short track speed skater on the team, Treacy is keen to highlight that it doesn't mean the sport is at a low in the UK.
The British Royals team have continued to impress on the World Tour, with a further two Olympic quota spots secured for Milano Cortina 2026, rather the athletes narrowly missing out on specific qualification.
And after narrowly missing out on securing an unprecedented relay sport, Treacy is convinced that there is more success to come.
"I obviously would have preferred it if there were more people there so I am disappointed in that sense but I don't think it is a reflection on how the programme is doing in Britain," he said.
"We are in a much better position than we have been in previously. Even with our relay, a year and a half ago I would have thought that there was no chance in qualification, but this year we were really in the mix.
"It makes it really exciting for the future of the sport. We are definitely going in the right direction."
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