Fun facts: Athletes who are also siblings at Beijing 2022

Chinese people like to say “Benjia” to refer to people who have the same family name as they do, even though they may not be related. At the ongoing 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games, there are some international and Chinese athletes who are also siblings. Let’s check out who they are.

Danish curling athletes Denise Dupont and Madeleine Dupont are sisters, born in 1984 and 1987, respectively. Their father, Kim Dupont, has taken part in two World Junior Curling Championships; their mother, Gitte Larsen, won a bronze medal at the 1990 World Women's Curling Championship, and their brother, Oliver Dupont, who is also a curling athlete, won a silver at the 2016 World Men’s Curling Championship.

Barnabas Szollos of Israel competes during alpine skiing men's alpine combined at the National Alpine Skiing Centre in Yanqing District, Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Israeli alpine skier Barnabas Szollos and his sister Noa Szollos are the only athletes in this field from Israel at Beijing 2022. Barnabas was born in 1998 and Noa in 2003. While men and women compete separately, whoever places higher will certainly take home bragging rights. Their older brother, Benjamin, narrowly missed out on qualifying for Beijing 2022. Barnabas and Noa are coached by their father, Peter Szollos.

British short track speed skating athlete brothers Farrell and Niall Treacy will both compete in the fast and furious 1,000m race at the Winter Olympics.

Norwegian cross-country skiers Lotta Udnes Weng and Tiril Udnes Weng, who are twin sisters born in 1996, will compete with their elder female cousin Heidi Weng, born in 1991, at Beijing 2022.

Other siblings who will compete with each other at Beijing 2022 are: Canadian biathlon athlete brothers Scott Gow and Christian Gow, born in 1990 and 1993, respectively; Italian alpine skier sisters Nicol Delago and Nadia Delago, born in 1996 and 1997; Japanese snowboarding athlete sisters Tomita Sena and Tomita Ruki, born in 1999 and 2001; Chinese ice hockey athlete brothers Fu Jiang and Fu Shuai, and Chinese-Hungarian short track skating athlete brothers Liu Shaolin and Liu Shaoang.