THE dust has barely settled on Tokyo 2020 but already, another Olympic Games is upon us. 

On Friday, the Opening Ceremony will mark the start of Beijing 2022 which, thanks to the pandemic, means two Olympic Games within just six months of each other. 

Beijing 2022 may have escaped without a change of date, but this will no more be a “normal” Olympics than we saw last summer. 

Protocols, yet-again, are super-strict, with crowd sizes due to be severely restricted, no overseas fans permitted and only “selected” people allowed to attend, with no tickets on general sale to the public. 

These Games have also been marred by significant controversy, with China’s poor human rights record under scrutiny, prompting several high-profile nations, including GB and the USA, to stage a diplomatic boycott of the event. 

Another serious bone of contention has been the colossal amounts of artificial snow that has been produced. 

Over 222 million litres of water was required to make almost all of the snow which will be needed to allow the Games to go ahead in an area that has little snow of its own at this time of year. 

However, on the sporting front, these Olympics have the potential to be a thrilling two weeks. 

GB has only won 32 Winter Olympic medals in its history, but ten have come from the most recent two Games, five at each. 

The 50-strong GB squad which has arrived in Beijing has the potential to surpass that tally, with the 19 Scots who have made the trip likely to make a significant contribution to the team’s success. 

Headlining the medal charge is curler Bruce Mouat, who has not one but two chances to become Olympic champion on his debut. 

His campaign begins two days before the Opening Ceremony, in the mixed doubles, alongside his childhood friend, Jen Dodds, with the pair reigning world champions in the event. 

His second throw of the dice will be in the men’s event, in which he and his rink of Hammy McMillan, Bobby Lammie, Grant Hardie, plus alternate, Ross Whyte, are current world silver medallists and have proven they have what it takes to defeat the very best the rest of the world has to offer having won back-to-back Grand Slam titles last year. 

Dodds will also be doubling-up, with Eve Muirhead skipping the women’s team once again.  

Dodds, as well as the remaining team members of Vicki Wright, Hailey Duff and alternate, Mili Smith, are all making their Olympic debuts, and so are likely to rely on the experience of four-time Olympian, Muirhead, who already has an Olympic bronze to her name from 2014. 

Slalom skier, Charlie Guest, recovered from a broken back earlier in her career and has been in the form of her life this season, while Alex Tilley will join her in the slalom, in addition to the giant slalom. 

In cross-country skiing, Andrew Musgrave will aim to better his seventh place finish in 2018, the best-ever by a Brit in Olympic history, and will be joined by childhood friend Andrew Young in the field, with both making their fourth Olympic appearance, with the squad completed by debutant, James Clugnet. 

Freestyle skier, Kirsty Muir, may only be 17-years-old and Team GB’s youngest member but already, she has made her presence felt. A World Cup and Youth Olympic medallist to date, she has every chance of adding Olympic silverware to her collection. 

In short track speed skating, there will be no Elise Christie in Beijing following her recent retirement but there will be Scottish representation in the form of her compatriot, Kathryn Thomson while in figure skating, Natasha McKay is GB’s lone skater in the women’s singles while Lewis Gibson will partner Canadian-born Lilah Fear in ice dance, with the pair tipped to potentially become GB’s first medallists in the event since Torvill and Dean.  

Elsewhere in the GB team, there are a number of athletes who are in the form of their lives. 

Dave Ryding has proven himself to be the best slalom skier Britain has ever produced, and has come into form at exactly the right time having won his first, and GB’s first ever, alpine skiing World Cup gold medal just last week. 

Freestyle skier, Izzy Atkin won bronze four years ago in Pyeongchang and returns in Beijing while fellow bronze medallist, Laura Deas, will attempt to continue Britain’s impressive run of succss in the skeleton. 

Further afield, there are a number of superstars ready to grab the Olympic spotlight once again. 

American ski racer, Mikaela Shiffrin, is 2014 Olympic slalom champion and 2018 giant slalom champion and is hot favourite for every race she enters while her compatriot, Shaun White, will be making his fifth Olympic appearance, with the snowboarder having picked up three halfpipe golds to date. 

Italian speedskater, Arianna Fontana, is aiming to become the most decorated female speed skater in history while in figure skating, Japan’s Yuzuru Hanyu is aiming for his third consecutive Olympic crown.