Winter Olympics: Charlotte Bankes aims for Beijing 2022 medal to say thanks to GB

Charlotte Bankes was at the «point of giving up» when Great Britain offered a lifeline — and now she wants to say thanks in the form of an Olympic medal.

Bankes switched the red, white and blue of France for that of Team GB in 2018, and it is a move that has paid off. Since her change of allegiance, the 26-year-old has become snowboard cross world champion, as well as winning four World Cup titles.

Next, to Beijing. The Winter Olympics are just days away, and Bankes — already a veteran of two Games — heads to China as arguably Team GB's greatest chance of gold.

«I'd always had it in the back of my mind to compete for Great Britain, and I think that was the right time to do that change,» she told BBC Sport.

«It wasn't easy, it was quite tough, but I'm really happy with how it went.

»As soon as I decided and reached out to see if it was possible, I had great support from GB Snowsport and that's led to where I am now."

Bankes, who was born in Britain and moved to France aged four, added: «If I can come back with a medal from the Olympics it would be a great way to say thank you for believing in me and for believing that I was capable of it.

»I was at the point of giving up when I made that switch, and didn't think anybody actually believed I could make it."

Bankes' move to GB came after years of struggle. In 2011, she fractured her pelvis, leaving her with lasting pain that prevented her from properly training for years.

She «lost a bit of the love» that she had for snowboarding and when the French team decided to make changes to its set-up at the height of her unhappiness, it was time for a change of her own.

More than three years on, Bankes is almost pain-free and riding at her best for GB — this season alone she has won three