Menna Fitzpatrick: Paralympics, lockdown rehab and no more 'Menna and Jen'

Para-alpine skier Menna Fizpatrick (r) and guide Jennifer Kehoe won four Paralympic medals at Pyeongchang 2018 before adding World Championship gold the following year.

Britain's most successful Winter Paralympian, Menna Fitzpatrick, says she wants to prove her record-breaking four medals at Pyeongchang 2018 were "not just a one-off", despite a change of guide before the 2022 Games.

The 23-year-old visually impaired para-alpine skier split from Jennifer Kehoe earlier this year.

She is aiming to compete at the Beijing Winter Paralympics with Katie Guest.

Fitzpatrick says she has endured a "challenging" two years.

She broke her leg in early 2020 and, in addition to the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, split from previous guide Kehoe after a six-year partnership.

However, Fitzpatrick says Kehoe will still be "with her in spirit" after their hugely successful time together.

"We still speak to each other most days," said Fitzpatrick - who won Paralympic gold, two silvers and a bronze at Pyeongchang 2018 with Kehoe.

"That's never going to go away with the experiences we've had together.

Fitzpatrick and Kehoe celebrating winning gold in the slalom at the 2018 Winter Paralympic Games.

Fitzpatrick and Kehoe - often just known as 'Menna and Jen' - announced their partnership was ending in August, citing "too many challenges out of their control" to continue competing together.

Kehoe returned to the army, leaving Fitzpatrick to find a new guide for Beijing 2022.

"I would've loved to have done it with Jen again," Fitzpatrick continued. "But you can't always have everything you want.

"GB Snowsport just felt like it was time to have a new guide really.

"I did fight it as much as I could. But in the end we couldn't do anything about it."

GB Snowsport said it reviewed its performance strategy after para-snowsport had become "significantly more competitive" internationally.

Athletes and guides are expected to hit certain performance criteria, or changes are made to the squads.

It added its new performance strategy has led to "some brilliant results from every discipline" before January's World Championships and March's Paralympic Games.

Fitzpatrick, who only has around five percent vision, says she has adjusted to Kehoe not being around and is "really excited" about her new partnership with Perthshire-born Guest.

"I couldn't have really asked for better to kick off our season together," Fitzpatrick told BBC Sport Wales. "The confidence is building up slowly.

"Katie's really good fun. We make sure on the days off we get we go and do something different instead of sitting in our hotel rooms, even if it's sledging!

"This couple of years has been challenging, especially mentally.

"Making it to the Games is one thing after all these years, then if we do get a medal, it'd just prove I can do it again. Prove to myself it wasn't just a one-off.

"And to prove that even with a short amount of time together, you can do it if you put your mind to it and make it work well."

Fitzpatrick has teamed up with Scottish guide Katie Guest for the 2021/22 season.

Fitzpatrick, like everyone, has also had to adapt to life in a pandemic.

The first lockdown in March 2020 was made especially tough after the 2019 double world champion broke her leg in the final race of the season.

Her injury physio and rehab was mainly done over Zoom, which Fitzpatrick said was "not the easiest thing to do on yourself" but added that the subsequent gym sessions have made her a stronger athlete as Beijing approaches.

'You have to trust your guide 100%'

The next challenge was to form a close bond on and off the slopes with her new guide, something Fitzpatrick says is "imperative".

"You've got to make sure the communication's perfect," she added.

"It's making sure Katie creates the best possible picture in front of me and describes everything in a way that I'll understand at 60 kilometres per hour.

"She's relaying back the line, the gates, little triggers I need to do. So you've really got to pre-empt every single thing we're doing.

"That only happens if you trust your guide 100% and you know them inside out.

Fitzpatrick is the first British skier to win both Paralympic and world titles.

"This whole sport is about the relationship being built up, and they do last years. This is just the beginning."

After next month's World Championships, attention will turn to the Paralympics.

It would be a first Games for Guest and a chance to make more history for Fitzpatrick.

"The pressure is slightly on myself," she admitted, "just because I want to better my results if I can, or do the same.

"That's what we're hoping for and that's a personal goal.

"But the team is good at not putting pressure on us. It's all about ski well and the results will come.

"I'm definitely eager to do well and the hunger is there. I really want to perform well and make Katie proud, the team proud and the country proud.

"As long as I do that and reach my personal goals, I'll definitely be very happy."