Medal winning sisters argue over the heaviest gong

The father of British Olympic medallist Zoe Atkin says he is "absolutely delighted" by his daughter's medal-winning performance at the winter games in Italy.

Atkin took the bronze in the halfpipe in Livigno on Sunday, equalling the performance of her sister Izzy eight years earlier.

Although Atkin was born in Boston, Massachusetts, she holds British citizenship, as her father, Mike, is from Solihull, and she represents Team GB at the games.

He said his daughters soon "got into an argument over whose Olympic medal was heavier".

According to Team GB, Zoe and Izzy were the first British siblings to win Winter Olympics medals in over a century.

Mike said the family had joked about checking back on their notes to see if they could share tips on raising medal winners: "Ribena and Marmite - they certainly had their share of those growing up!"

Zoe said of her sister: "She's always been my biggest inspiration, she pushed me into the sport. She was always bullying me to jump off things on the mountain," said 23-year-old Atkin.

"After watching her [win the medal], it's always been a huge goal for me.

"It's a real full-circle moment because she was here supporting me, and I was there when she won her bronze medal, so it's really special."

The proud dad said the family had only briefly been reunited on the slopes before Zoe was "dragged off" for her routine doping test and a rushed journey to the closing ceremony with teammates.

"It [the final] was a day later than originally planned, and they all wanted to get to the closing ceremony, which was in Verona, several hours away.

"So she was whisked off by Team GB into the team bus."

Atkin's medal was the fifth for Great Britain at the Milan-Cortina Games, after three golds and a silver, equalling the team's record-best haul from 2014 and 2018.

Never before had Great Britain won more than one gold at a single Winter Games.

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