ARMY Officer Cadet Lena Beardsell won a gold medal – just five days after trying cross-country skiing for the first time.

The 21-year-old won the medal at the Army’s UK divisional Nordic ski championships, held in France.

AOC Beardsell, whose parents Martyn and Kari Gro Beardsell live in Clanfield, competed against 180 other cadets and soldiers in Exercise Spartan Hike, at the ski resort of Serre Chevalier.

The former Cokethorpe School pupil said: “We only had five days’ training for this, so it was very hard at the beginning and I had to deal with the altitude as well, but I was very pleased with how we did. What I really like is that cross-country skiing has the same fitness level as running but without the high impact on the knees.

“I have done downhill skiing, but this is much more difficult, as you have to work your whole body as much as you can.

“The competition was really enjoyable as well. There was a great atmosphere.”

She is a member of the London University Officer Training Corps.

During the week-long competition last month she took part in several cross-country events. These included a 10km classic Nordic cross country race, where parallel narrow ski tracks, about 15cm wide for each ski, are cut into the snow and competitors have to stay in the grooves except when overtaking.

She also took part in two biathlon races, in which competitors have to ski and shoot twice at targets on a firing range, and won a team gold medal in the 4x6 biathlon relay race.

AOC Beardsell said: “I have really made the most of being in the Officer Training Corps and have had some fantastic opportunities to do sports I might never have tried otherwise.”

The cadet is in her final year at St Mary’s College, in Twickenham, studying drama.