Moguls medal favourite Dale Begg-Smith has touched down in Italy for the Winter Olympics declaring he  is proud to be competing for Australia.

Canadian-born Begg-Smith left reporters at Torino airport in no doubt as to where his allegiances lie.

“I’m proud to be competing for Australia and proud to be a member of the team” he told reporters.

Begg-Smith left Canada five years ago and followed his American coach Steve Desovich to Australia.

“I like the sports system in Australia, it suits me” he said.

He’s won four World Cup events this season and is top of the rankings going into the Olympics.

“I’m feeling no pressure, I’m relaxed and feeling good” Begg-Smith said.

Desovich who accompanied him on the flight told reporters, “Dale is very focused and there is no doubt his loyalties are with Australia. He is very shy and very calm but he will show Australians who he is competing for when he hits the ice.”

Begg-Smith who runs his own multi million dollar internet advertising company said he was looking forward to living with his team-mates in the Olympic village.

His teammates include his brother Jason who also qualified for the Australian team in moguls. Also arriving for the Games were fellow mogul skiers Manuela Berchtold, Michael Robertson and Nick Fisher.

AOC