Four things to know about Team GB freestyle skier Kirsty Muir

Kirsty Muir may only be 17-years-old, but she's already being touted among Great Britain's best chances of winning a medal at the Olympic Games Beijing 2022, which open in a little under two months (4 February).

Here are four things to know about the freestyle skiing sensation.

Muir started skiing at a very young age

Muir picked up her first pair of skis when she was just three years old, and took to the (dry)slopes of the Aberdeen Snowsports Centre in Aberdeen, Scotland to hone her craft.

Muir still skis there to this day, though she admits her favourite slope is in Laax, Switzerland.

She got her first taste of senior gold when she was just 13

Muir was already very familiar with the top of the podium after earning a number of junior titles at the British Indoor, Championships Ski & Snowboard and The BRITS Championships, but she burst onto the senior scene (while still only 13!) at the 2018 Brits, winning all three Freeski titles on offer (Big Air, slopestyle and halfpipe).

Needless to say, Muir was on everyone's radar in Britain following her success in 2018, but she was about to find the podium on the international circuit too.

Medal success at the Junior World Championships and YOG

Muir got her first taste of senior international gold when she won the slopestyle event at the 2019 Europa Cup, and followed that up with a silver and bronze medal at the 2019 Junio World Championships in Sweden.

Then came the biggest breakthrough in Muir's career (as she has called it), when the young Scot won a silver medal in the freeski Big Air competition at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne, Switzerland. Muir also narrowly missed out on the podium in the slopestyle competition, finishing fourth, and was chosen as Team GB's flagbearer for the Closing Ceremony.

On her success bringing more participants into the sport, the Aberdeen-based athlete told Snow Industry News: “I really hope to inspire younger athletes and the next generation back at home. I am proud to inspire the next generation and I just try and ski how I ski and hopefully that will continue to inspire people.”

World Cup silver and her goals for Beijing 2022

In March 2021 Muir claimed her first World Cup medal by winning silver in the ski slopestyle competition in Colorado, USA.

Muir was the youngest competitor in the final in what was only her fourth World Cup start.

“Today was incredible!!! 2nd place at the US Grand Prix World Cup!!! My first World Cup final, podium and first landed dub 12 in comp!!! Thanks to everyone for the love and support!” she said on Facebook

The 2021/22 World Cup season is in its infancy, but Muir has carried over her good form by finishing fourth in her first event (slopestyle) of the campaign in Stubai, Austria. The result stands her in good stead to qualify for the upcoming Winter Olympics, and in April she spoke to BBC Sport about the prospect of competing at the Games.

"From my results I am doing okay to qualify, I really would love to go, I have lots of goals and that is definitely one of them."