British Under-18 overall champion Yasmin Cooper has already racked up many achievements on the slopes, but the alpine skier admits she will be fulfilling a lifelong dream when she pulls on the Team GB colours at the forthcoming Winter Youth Olympics.
Just one day now remains until Lillehammer lifts the curtain on the fourth Youth Olympic Games and what will be the second winter edition after Innsbruck two years ago.
A 16-strong Team GB squad will compete in seven of the 15 sport disciplines: bobsleigh, curling, ice hockey skills challenge, luge, skeleton, freestyle skiing and Cooper’s discipline of alpine skiing.
The 17-year-old is one of two alpine skiers in the squad alongside three-time overall British champion at Under-12, Under-14 and Under-16 level, Iain Innes.
Action gets underway at Hafjell – host venue for the 1994 Winter Olympics – on Sunday with combined, giant slalom, slalom and Super-G races for both the boys and girls plus a mixed team parallel race.
And Cooper, a member of the British Ski and Snowboard development group for the 2015-2016 season, and also a national ambassador for her sport, can’t wait to get going with the Olympic rings on her chest.
“It’s amazing to have been selected and I’m really excited to be part of the Games and this is definitely the biggest thing I’ve ever achieved in my career so far,” she said.
“I’ve dreamt of wearing the Olympic rings so being here in Lillehammer is a dream come true.
"My preparation has been good following some personal bests in slalom and giant slalom so I feel like I’m skiing well.
“I’m looking to challenge myself, seeing what I can do on the slopes but also enjoy the Games from a wider experience and meeting athletes from different sports and countries.”
Team GB are also equally well stocked for the freestyle skiing at both the Kanthaugen Freestyle Arena and Hafjell with Glasgow’s very own Cal Sandieson going in the ski slopestyle and 2013 British slopestyle champion Maddison Rowlands doubling up in the slopestyle and halfpipe.
Flying the flag for Team GB in ski cross, meanwhile, will be 16-year-old Isobel Brown – the current Under-18 British champion and women’s indoor champion.
One of the most exciting ski disciplines to watch with four people competing at the same time in what is basically a downhill race but with jumps which can see competitors airborne for up to 30 metres, the sport is definitely packed full of thrills and spills.
And Brown insists she intends to enjoy her moment in the spotlight.
“This is another step towards the Olympic Winter Games and Lillehammer is just an amazing experience. I’m looking forward to watching other sports and experiencing everything that comes with a Youth Olympic Games,” she said.
“The main thing with my skiing is to have fun and grow my confidence and that’s what I’m looking to do here.”
Sportsbeat 2016