Kingston’s queen of the snow Darcie Mead has started her long journey to the 2018 Winter Olympics.

The 18-year-old alpine skier has endured a tough start to this season’s action following a double injury blow, but the former Surbiton High School pupil is closing in on full fitness.

It means she can turn her attention to targeting a place on the slopes in PyeongChang, China, and after experiencing life on the junior stage, the teenager is desperate to get her place.

Mead missed out on a place in the British team at the Sochi Games earlier this year, she believes because of her age at the time, and so had to watch fellow Surbiton High School alumna and skier Chemmy Alcott on television, rather than as a team-mate.

She said: “I’ve had a rocky season with injuries and I was gutted to miss out on the Olympics.

“I broke my hand in December, tore the ligaments and then re-tore them this year so I had surgery in July and the key now is getting fit again.

“It was disappointing to miss the Winter Games, I think it came down to my age and experience, but there’s another Games in four years and I’m going to train even harder to make sure I’m there, build up the experience and in the long run hopefully it’ll pay off.”

She added: “My goal for 2014 was to compete in the World Junior Championships and I did, so I achieved my main goal and I’m proud of that and look forward to moving on.

“I’m number one in Britain, but not the world so I’ve got to keep focused and keep training to get better and that keeps me motivated.”

A potential stepping stone to China is next year’s World Junior Championships – being held in Sochi – and being selected to compete has left her over the moon.

She said: “It’s been really full on this summer, I had surgery in July so was out for the whole month and then I was away for nine weeks in New Zealand training.

“It’s very rewarding after all the injuries I had to overcome that it didn’t affect me and to be recognised in my country as a strong athlete.

“I’m focusing on my training at the moment and trying to come back from injuries.

“I want to nail my technique and hopefully I can compete again at the World Junior Championships next year and use the next four years as a building block for the Olympics.”