Gold medal winner Menna Fitzpatrick has returned home to a hero’s welcome after becoming Britain’s most successful winter paralympic athlete of all time.
The teenage alpine ski racing sensation, who has no vision in her left eye and limited sight in her right eye, returned to her family home in Tytherington at the weekend.
It followed several days of media engagements that she and guide Jen Kehoe undertook after becoming household names for winning four medals - including gold in the Women’s Slalom - at the games in PyeongChang earlier this month.
Menna, 19, said she has been overwhelmed at the welcome she has received from fellow Maxonians keen to offer congratulations.
Menna, who began learning to ski on holiday with her family as a five-year- old, said: “The reaction here has been incredible. The first day I was home and out shopping, a lady I had never met came up and congratulated me.
“And since then I have been approached by others in the shops, as well as at the gym, saying how delighted they are for me.”
Menna also arrived back to a pile of congratulatory cards and letters - including some from former teachers at Prestbury CofE Primary and Fallibroome Academy.
And she said she has been moved by talk of about establishing a local, lasting tribute to her incredible success, as reported in last week’s Express.
She said: “I am really honoured to hear of this, and was proud to represent not only my country but also Macclesfield in PyeongChang. I went out there simply to try and perform my best, rather than for the purpose of recognition.
“But it is nice to have my work recognised - and good that people are interested in what I do.”
With pre-season training for the next winter skiing campaign more than a month away, Menna can now, for the time being, look forward to a relaxing break from her hectic schedule and some relaxing family time with proud parents David and Mair and elder sisters Elin and Ffion.
But she won’t be away from the slopes for long.
Menna said: “I’m off on a skiing holiday with my mum and dad at the end of this week.
“It’s our first one in over a year. And we’ll meet up on the slopes with Jen while we’re there!”
