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Saturday, 9 February, 2002, 00:09 GMT
Alcott's all-round altitude test
BBC Sport Online's Anna Thompson talks to British skiing all-rounder Chemmy Alcott
Chemmy Alcott's arrival in America was not the smoothest.
Her plane ticket was stolen on a connecting flight at Boston Airport and then she was involved in a minor car accident as she made her way to Salt Lake City.
But the British all-rounder was unruffled by the experience and thankfully not injured.
She is instead extremely excited about the Winter Olympics.
Alcott told BBC Sport Online: "The atmosphere is building and I can't wait to compete.
"I was a youth ambassador at the Sydney Olympics and I was in the stadium when Cathy Freeman won gold.
"It was great to be a part of her fantastic achievement."
Alcott has been skiing since the age of three and is a rare talent because she skis all four disciplines - the downhill, slalom, giant slalom and super-G.
At Salt Lake City, she will go in all the races - with an outside chance of a medal in the combined event, which is the downhill and slalom with the times added together.
She is just inside the top 100 in all disciplines but would rise up the rankings if she made the decision to specialise in one event.
In her age group she is ranked in the top 10 in the world.
The part-time model said: "I haven't specialised in any particular discipline yet because I love doing them all.
"On one day I'll love the downhill and want to concentrate on that and the next it will be the super-G.
"The Olympics are going to be such a great experience for me.
"I'll be extremely happy if I finish in the top 10 in the combined."
Alcott has recently arrived from the British Olympic Association's winter training camp in Lofer, Austria.
She said: "The facilities are excellent in Lofer and I think they have really boosted the ski team both physically and mentally.
"We are never expected to do anything so we are under no pressure and we are just going to enjoy it."
Alcott's first taste of the Olympics will be the women's downhill, which is scheduled to take place at Snowbasin at 1700 GMT (1000 local) on Sunday 10 February.
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