Winter Paralympics: RAF ski guide helps Menna Fitzpatrick make history in Beijing

RAF ski guide Corporal Gary Smith and his partner Menna Fitzpatrick have won two medals at the 2022 Winter Paralympics.

They won a silver medal in the Super G Vision Impaired event before taking home a bronze from the Super Combined Visually Impaired race.

Fitzpatrick is now the most decorated British athlete in Winter Paralympics history with six medals.

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The duo took advantage of superb conditions at the Yanqing National Alpine Skiing Centre to record a time of 1:18.79 in the Super G.

Millie Knight and her guide Able Seaman Brett Wild, of the Royal Navy, were agonisingly close to the podium finishing in fourth place with a time of 1:19.39.

In the Super Combined, AB Wild and Knight repeated the result to just miss out on another medal.

Speaking after her silver medal win on Saturday, Fitzpatrick, 23, said: "I am feeling absolutely amazing! I can't quite believe it, we just wanted to build on the day before and we are super, super happy.

"Gary and I have trained quite a long time and have been building up the relationship and that really helped coming into this. I am super happy he is my guide I couldn't wish for anything better!

"I am so happy to be the most decorated ParalympicsGB Winter athlete that is not what we came out to do today though, we went out to ski well, so to come out with a silver medal and a pretty amazing title as well means we are delighted.

"Just before the pandemic, I broke my leg, Gary was guiding me at the time, and he was a great support during my rehab and to come through that and COVID-19 as well makes this really special."

Cpl Smith also commented on the silver medal, saying: "I got a bit emotional with Menna at the finish line as it's a really special moment I have known Menna since 2016 and she did brilliantly today.

"The moment I met Menna it was great as I always used to sit next to her at dinner because she never finished it and I could steal seconds - it a pleasure to guide with her!"