The Sochi Olympics were ancient for group GB. They received a record-equalling four medals, consisting of a primary ever medal on snow in Jenny Jones' snowboard slopestyle bronze.
Halfpipe skier Rowan Cheshire turned into additionally being talked about as a medal prospect in Russia having won a global Cup a month in advance. But her games ended dramatically before her event began.
The then 18-year-old turned into training on the Olympic halfpipe on the Rosa Khutor intense Park, when she made a mistake. Cheshire landed on her head, knocking herself subconscious and breaking her nose.
"I do not remember something, simply waking up in health center and thinking what the hell turned into happening," she instructed BBC sport.
It led to a severe concussion and became the primary of 3 head injuries over the following 18 months, which Cheshire said brought about "intense side-effects" that changed her existence and almost saw her depart the sport.
"it's no longer just a headache or a touch bruise to the head, there's a number of backlash - I couldn't even look at my cellphone with out getting migraines," stated the skier.
"in addition to the physical stuff, there was the emotional facet - i would get stressful and feature a breakdown or a panic assault at simply little conditions and ought to come home.
"After the Olympics I wouldn't be capable of get on the educate on my own and that is weird for me as an athlete due to the fact I travel anywhere, but I wouldn't do it with out my mum with me."
British freestyle skiing head coach Pat Sharples has acknowledged Cheshire on account that she became a younger youngster, attempting out the game on a dry slope in Stoke.
"all of the headaches commenced in Sochi with the horrendous crash," he instructed BBC game. "the 2 concussions after that weren't whatever like as big as she'd had before, however it nonetheless precipitated numerous problems.
"It changed into new territory for us and a huge gaining knowledge of curve for everybody on the crew as we would by no means had to address whatever like this.
"We have been advised it become 50/50 as to whether or not she might get again to fitness, however we simply wanted her to be good enough. It wasn't about her being lower back on skis."
Cheshire spent months running along with her psychologist, Dave Collins, to conquer the tension of putting her body and thoughts on the road again.
"I did go through some doubts - I think it is simplest natural after a horrific damage as it knocks yourself-self belief and your entire idea technique approximately the sport," she said.
"i used to be quite negative, however stepping into gymnastics to undergo some of the moves and seeing my psychologist clearly helped me be extra high-quality approximately getting again on the snow."
After years out she made an outstanding go back, completing fourth at the second one-tier Copper Mountain Revolution excursion occasion in Colorado, u.S. In December.
She has sooner or later completed the minimal Olympic qualification standard with a top-30 finish in the season-establishing halfpipe international Cup event - once more in Copper Mountain - and accompanied that up with 14th in massive, united states, in advance this month.
Sharples credit Cheshire's dad and mom, Barbara and Mark, for a "large" role in her recuperation and believes Cheshire is now an improved athlete following her concussion battles.
"She's extra decided than ever," he said. "She's a whole lot stronger, targeted and her work-ethic extended.
"Rowan's needed to turn out to be this new athlete to get back and no longer most effective has she received extra revel in, however she works so hard within the health club in addition to while snowboarding and is a better all-round athlete than earlier than."
In Molly Summerhayes - sister of Sochi Olympian Katie - and adolescents Olympic champion Madi Rowlands, Cheshire knows she has critical competition for a place in Pyeongchang, which start in a 12 months's time on 9 February 2018.
However, she has been informed by using clinical consultants that her 3 profession concussions do no longer positioned her at any extra threat of similarly complications and, having conquer the chances via returning to the slopes, the 21-year-old is decided to make up for lost time.
"i am virtually feeling pretty high quality and feature a few new tricks in my head that I need to do," she informed BBC sport.
"it would suggest the arena [to qualify for Pyeonchang] due to the fact it'd be a 2nd risk to reveal the sector what i can do, which I failed to get to do remaining time.
"i'm really looking ahead to it and with any luck doing my first-class."
Rowan Cheshire: Concussions left me with panic attacks, but Olympic hope remains
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