Zoe Gillings-Brier is looking forward to competing in next month’s Winter Olympics in South Korea even more than her previous three editions.

Now aged 32, and a mother of an 18-month-old girl, Lea, the Manx-born competitor admits that as each Olympics has come along she has been a little less nervous and a little more excited.

When she takes to the line in Pyeongchang in a little over a fortnight’s time she will become the first British athlete in her discipline to compete at four Winter Olympics.

’No other British snowboarder has ever gone to four Olympics so I’m very happy to have the opportunity to go once again,’ she said during a break from training in Austria at the weekend.

’This will be my first Olympics as a mother, as my daughter was born in August, 2016. Being an athlete and a mum at the same time is very busy but I love it.’

Zoe’s selection was confirmed last Thursday morning, having achieved her qualification standards last season.

She has reached the World Cup podium on seven occasions, achieving victory in Chile in 2004, and has finished inside the top-10 at her last two Olympics (eighth in 2010, ninth 2014).

Team Great Britain is taking a record number of 25 ski and snowboard athletes to the Games to compete across alpine, cross-country, freestyle skiing and snowboard events, surpassing the previous record of 22 selected for Cortina, Italy in 1956.

In an interview with former top British downhiller Graham Bell before the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Zoë admitted that she was one of the more reckless female snowboard cross racers: ’I’ll go for a pass even if there’s not quite enough space for it. Some of the other racers can be a bit more wary, but I’ll go for it all the way to the bottom and never give up.’

She added that she had really enjoyed the opening ceremony at the Vancouver event in 2010. ’Walking out with Team GB was great, especially as I’d missed the Turin opening in 2006 because I was competing the next day.

’My worst experience was hurting myself when competing in Vancouver. I injured my knee in the semi-final and didn’t make the final, but I had to go straight back to the start for the small final. I was in so much pain that I knew I couldn’t hit the first big Wu-Tang, so I pulled out of the gate and immediately sat down.’

Zoe will fly to Korea in plenty of time to prepare for the women’s snowboard cross competition on February 16.

’I can’t wait,’ added the Leeds-based Manx woman. ’I’m very grateful to the people and companies of the Isle of Man as they have been a massive support to me throughout my career. Isle of Man Sport Aid has supported me since I was a teenager and PokerStars is by far my longest-standing sponsor.

’The people of the island have always been right behind me as well, giving me the confidence I need to compete at this level.’

l The 2018 Winter Olympics take place from February 9 until February 25.