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12 February 2018Former British Olympic skier Chemmy Alcott admits motherhood is HARDER than racing down the slopes - as she reveals the athletes to watch in Pyeongchang

During her adrenaline-fuelled career as a champion Alpine skier, Chemmy Alcott made a living careering down slopes at break-neck speeds.

But the four-time British Olympian said the challenges she faced as an athlete are nothing compared to the struggles of being a mother.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with FEMAIL, Alcott, 35, said she has 'pushed herself to the limits' to balance her post-skiing career with raising her one-year-old son, Locki.

The sportswoman, who this week joins the BBC's Winter Olympics broadcasting team, also offered her take on the athletes to watch when the action kicks off tomorrow in Pyeongchang.

Chemmy Alcott, 35, said she has 'pushed herself to the limits' to balance her career with raising son, Locki, one, who she shares with her skier husband Dougie Crawford, pictured

The sportswoman, who this week joins the BBC's Winter Olympics broadcasting team, also offered her take on the athletes to watch when the action kicks off tomorrow in Pyeongchang

'I always thought I had a tough job being a ski racer, especially being a ski racer from London, but I didn't know how tough life was until I became a mum,' Alcott said. 'I have so much respect for women out there, especially women doing it on their own.'

Alcott, who retired from racing after the 2014 season, went back to work just 10 days after giving birth to Locki in January last year.

'I felt slightly judged at the beginning when I went back to work - people asking about my priorities - but it was really important to me for my son to see me as someone who has her own dreams,' she said. 'And I will be a better mum for that.'

Alcott splits childcare duties with her husband, fellow skier Dougie Crawford, whom she married in 2014. The family live in Hampstead, west London. Pictured, Chemmy and Locki

Alcott and Crawford travel the world with baby Locki, who has already visited 13 countries

Now Alcott splits childcare duties with her husband, fellow skier Dougie Crawford, whom she married in 2014. The family live in Hampton, west London.

This week, for example, Alcott will spend the part of the Winter Olympics based at the BBC studios in Salford to allow her to care for Locki while Crawford is in Italy for the English Alpine Championships, where the ski team they coach is competing.

Crawford will then fly back into Manchester to take over the childcare, allowing his wife to jet out to Pyeongchang for the second part of the competition.

While the couple have made the jet-set life work for them so far, she knows it won't last forever.

'It's been an amazing life for him,' she said. 'He's done 13 countries. These are the times you can do it, when they're really little. But it's getting tougher now he's learning to walk and is interested in everything... I'm not sure I could do it with two, but I've definitely pushed it to the limit with one.'

For now though Alcott's focus is on the Winter Olympics, where she hopes to bring her passion and personal insight to her commentary.

'I am really raw because this is my first Olympics I've been doing this [broadcasting] for, I've competed in the last four,' she said. It's nice to pass that baton on but still be involved in the sport.'

She continued: 'This is the most talented Team GB Winter Olympics team we have ever sent. Historically there has always been one athlete that has been pinpointed for success but this time we have many athletes across a huge number of sports.

Curling, we are very good at curling, both the men's and the women's teams are doing very well. In cross-country skiing, a sport dominated by Scandinavians, we really have a medal hope in that.

'Then all the freestylers, Katie Omerod [snowboarding], to James Woods [skiing], the Summerhayes sisters [skiing], which is quite a nice story, both of them are going. And then Alpine skiing - Dave Ryding - for me Dave Ryding has the potential to win but he knows he's got to push it really, really hard.'

Offering her take on Britain's best medal hope, she added: '[Speed skater] Elise Christie. Double world champion, in the form of her life, has been to South Korea multiple times.

'Everyone deserves to do their best and her best right now is an Olympic gold medal.'

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-5362601/Chemmy-Alcott-admits-mother-HARDER-skiing.html