The country's Chef de Mission for the Games, Ralph Stöckli, said he hopes around 180 Swiss athletes will compete in China.

This would be more than the previous record - set at Pyeongchang 2018 when Switzerland took a team of 170.

Only two bigger teams have been fielded by the Swiss at the Summer Olympics - with 190 taking part in Berlin in 1936 and 181 attending London 1948.

Both the men's and women's ice hockey teams have already qualified for Beijing 2022, while biathletes could book their spot this winter.

The rest of the team is due to be selected during the 2021-2022 winter season.

Stöckli said he was encouraged by the completion of facilities for the 2022 Games, which celebrated the one-year-to-go milestone on Thursday (February 4).

He also praised the opening of high speed train links between the venue hubs of Beijing, Yanqing and Zhangjiakiou.

"That is good news," he said. 

"Having planning security in this area is extremely positive.

"The selection concepts have been drawn up, the athletes and their associations know which criteria they have to meet in order to participate in the Olympics."

A blow to preparations was caused by the decision to cancel this winter's Olympic test events as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, including the Freestyle Ski and Snowboarding World Championships in Zhangjiakou.

"This is a pity," said Stöckli. 

"We, the associations and the athletes had hoped to gain important insights from these competitions in various areas such as sport, organisation and logistics, as well as with regard to the nature of the snow.

"Together we will make the best of it, according to our mission motto 'united4excellence'. 

"I'm sure everyone involved will experience exciting, high-quality competitions in Beijing in a year's time."

Switzerland has won 153 medals in its Winter Olympic history, including 55 golds, and is eighth on the all-time medals table.

Beijing 2022 is due to run between February 4 and 20 next year, but build-up to the Games is taking place under a political shadow due to international criticism of China's alleged human rights abuses.