GB thrash China in Cardiff to start Olympic bid

Great Britain began their campaign to qualify for the 2026 Winter Olympics by hammering China 10-1 at Vindico Arena in Cardiff.

The hosts, who hope to reach their first Games since 1948, were 7-0 up by the end of the second period.

Liam Kirk and Cameron Critchlow each scored twice.

Mark Richardson, Johnny Curran, Cade Neilson, Robert Dowd, Ben Davies and Nathanael Halbert also hit the net while Tianyou Zuo replied for China.

In the Group H opener earlier in the day in the Welsh capital, Romania beat Serbia 4-0.

Robert Dowd, 35, was named as the new Great Britain captain for the campaign, taking over from former Sheffield Steelers team-mate Jonathan Phillips, who retired at the end of last season.

Kirk and Richardson have been named as assistant captains.

Two injuries prompted changes to the original 22-player roster announced last month by head coach Pete Russell.

Welshman Ben Davies replaced Nottingham Panthers forward Ollie Betteridge and Sheffield Steelers' Cole Shudra came in for Cardiff Devils' Josh Waller.

It is the second time in four years that the UK has hosted a qualification round for the Olympics, after the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham was the venue in 2020.

In other matches over the weekend, Budapest is the host city of Group G matches for Hungary, Japan, Lithuania and Spain.

Group J games will be played in the Polish city of Sosnowiec between Estonia, Korea, Poland and Ukraine.

The group winners will then progress to the final qualifying stage that starts in late August to compete for the three remaining places to play at the Winter Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina in 2026.

Great Britain finished fifth on their last Olympic appearance 76 years ago, when the Games were held in St Moritz, Switzerland.

There have been two British ice hockey medals in Olympic history, bronze in 1924 and gold in 1936.

Last May, the GB team were promoted to the top-level World Championship group for next season thanks to a 5-3 win over Italy in their final Division I Group A match.

Netminders: Ben Bowns (Cardiff Devils), Jackson Whistle (Belfast Giants).

Defence: David Clements (Coventry Blaze), Nathanael Halbert (HC Innsbruck), Sam Jones (Sheffield Steelers), Evan Mosey (Cardiff Devils), Ben O'Connor (Guildford Flames), David Phillips (Belfast Giants), Mark Richardson (Cardiff Devils), Sam Ruopp (Lausitzer Fuchse).

Forwards: Cam Critchlow (Manchester Storm), Johnny Curran (Coventry Blaze), Ben Davies (Cardiff Devils) Robert Dowd (Sheffield Steelers), Liam Kirk (HC Litvinov), Robert Lachowicz (Glasgow Clan), Ben Lake (Belfast Giants), Cade Neilson (University of Alaska-Fairbanks), Sean Norris (Belfast Giants), Brett Perlini (Mec Halle 04), Cole Shudra (Sheffield Steelers), Brandon Whistle (Sheffield Steelers).

Thursday 8 February

Romania 4-0 Serbia

Great Britain 10-1 China

Saturday 10 February

Romania v China (15:00 GMT)

Serbia v Great Britain (19:00 GMT)

Sunday 11 February

China v Serbia (15:00 GMT)

Great Britain v Romania (19:00 GMT)