Expectations high for Winter Olympians

The uniforms may have been low key but result expectations are all time for Australia's Winter Olympians.

Australian Winter Olympics athletes model their uniforms

Australia's winter Olympics uniforms have been unveiled ahead of the Pyeongchang games. (AAP)

There wasn't a great deal of green and gold to be seen in the uniform but Australia will still be looking for a slice of the latter at next February's Winter Olympics in South Korea.

The Australian team launched its formal wear for the Pyeongchang Games in Sydney on Friday, less than four months out from the event.

Traditional Australian Games colours largely gave way to simple blues and browns in more conservative stylings that couldn't have been further removed from some of the gaudy outfits of a generation ago.

Australia is expected to send a team of at least 50 athletes to Pyeongchang with expectations of upwards of four medals -- which would be the country's biggest haul at a Winter Games.

Off the back of the most successful season for Australian winter athletes -- with 40 World Cup/World Championship medals -- it's not an unrealistic goal.

Chef de mission Ian Chesterman was confident of a strong showing but also urged caution given the sometimes fickle nature of events on snow and ice.

"Coming up to Pyeongchang I think we are very well positioned to have our best Games hopefully," he said on Friday.

"(But) you are outdoors, you are in the elements so you need a bit of luck on your side as well."

The Games charge will be headed by moguls skier Britt Cox, whose breakout 2016/17 season saw her go from occasional podium placer to the best in her sport with seven World Cup wins and a world championship title.

Close behind in the gold medal pecking order is snowboarder Scotty James, the halfpipe rider who largely upstaged American great Shaun White last season and took gold at the X Games, world championship and Pyeongchang test site.

Cox's moguls teammate Matt Graham is also a strong contender while Danielle Scott, Lydia Lassila, David Morris (aerials) and Alex Pullin and Belle Brockhoff (snowboard cross) regularly medal in World Cup competition.

The Winter Olympics start on February 9.


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Source: AAP


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Expectations high for Winter Olympians | SBS News