'I felt lost with autism - then I found skiing'

A skier who felt there was nothing for her in life until she discovered the thrill of the slopes said she was "super surprised" to win gold for Great Britain at the Special Olympics.

Annabelle Lamb, from Norwich, came first in her division in the advanced giant slalom at the World Winter Games in Turin earlier this month.

The 26-year-old, who has autism, triumphed over 36 athletes from North America and Europe to qualify for the final.

She trained on a dry ski slope and in the gym in famously flat Norfolk.

"I had a teary eye moment, because I wasn't expecting it, competing against the bigger countries - I was really proud bringing it home," she said.

The advanced slalom involves skiing through a set of gates as fast as possible, with Lamb finishing three seconds ahead of her closest competitors, from Belgium and France.

She also won a bronze medal in the slalom during the games, held between 8 and 15 March.

"I've come from Norfolk, which has a dry slope, and going abroad competing against athletes who have mountains and snow - which I'd love to train on - and then to get gold is a nice, proud moment," she added.

Lamb discovered skiing aged 17 when the sport simply "clicked" during a family holiday, and went on to train at Norfolk Snowsports Club in Trowse, near Norwich.

"I felt like I found that purpose in life," she explained.

"To pursue that, and suddenly everyone was looking up to me [as a competitor], it felt a very nice moment, to feel I belonged."

Speaking of her autism, Lamb said she was pleased other athletes had opened up about their diagnoses and raised awareness of neurodiversity.

England footballer Lucy Bronze called it her "superpower", US tennis player Jenson Brooksby said sport was a release, and Caragh McMurtry, a former Olympic rower for Great Britain, has educated sporting bodies about welcoming environments.

"I like to shine the light on people with autism because we often get neglected in life, and think there is nothing there for us," Lamb continued.

"That's how I felt - then I found skiing."

Asked what comes after her victory, she said she was happy to embrace any challenge.

"Now I know I can get gold, I know I can push myself further."

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