Mia Brookes: The Snowboarding Prodigy Destined for Olympic Glory
Olympic snowboarding hopeful Mia Brookes was "never going to do anything else" according to those who have watched her journey from toddler slopes to world champion status. As the 19-year-old prepares to compete for gold at the Winter Games, a family friend has spoken of the immense pride felt by her community.
A Champion Forged in Childhood
Brookes, from Sandbach in Cheshire, will begin her Olympic campaign on Sunday, having been too young to participate in the Beijing 2022 Games. Her path to this moment began remarkably early. Ann Loton, chairwoman of the North Staffs Ski Club where Brookes first tried snowboarding at just 18 months old, revealed the athlete was on a board "almost as soon as she could walk."
"Her parents are passionate snowboarders, so she was never going to do anything else but snowboarding," Ms Loton explained. "Her father and grandparents were very involved with the ski club, so she was on a little board just sliding down slopes from the earliest age."
Building a Legacy of Excellence
Brookes comes from a family deeply embedded in winter sports culture. Her parents, Vicky and Nigel, lived in the Chamonix resort in the French Alps for five ski seasons and would take their daughter on extended six-week ski trips in a campervan. During these adventures, the young athlete would balance intensive training with her schoolwork.
This family passion was shared by Brookes' late grandfather, David Dick, who once served as president of the entirely volunteer-run ski club that Ms Loton now chairs. This multi-generational commitment to snow sports created the perfect environment for a champion to emerge.
Record-Breaking Achievements
Brookes' competitive pedigree is already extraordinary. In 2023, at just 16 years old, she became the youngest snowboarding world champion in history and the first British athlete to claim this title. This remarkable achievement earned her the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award.
Now 19, Brookes enters the Winter Games fresh from striking gold at the X Games last month, making her a strong contender to become the first Briton to win two medals at the same Winter Games. She will compete in both the Big Air and slopestyle events, bringing formidable momentum to her Olympic debut.
Community Support and Personal Drive
Those at North Staffs Ski Club, where Brookes' journey began, feel a "great deal of pride" over her accomplishments. Ms Loton noted that club members "can't stop talking" about their most famous alumnus. A snowboard signed by the 19-year-old is proudly displayed at the centre, and Brookes has returned multiple times to present competition prizes.
"She's very driven, very determined," Ms Loton said of the Olympic hopeful. "She has got her own thoughts about everything and how she should go about things. She's very focused about what she's doing, very single-minded."
Brookes continues to be "very well-supported" by her family, with her parents and other relatives traveling to Italy to watch her compete. As the snowboarding community holds its breath, Ms Loton expressed the collective sentiment: "We're all very proud of her and can't wait to see what she achieves in the Olympics."
From the gentle slopes of Kidsgrove Ski Centre to the world's most prestigious winter sports stage, Mia Brookes' journey represents the culmination of lifelong dedication, family support, and extraordinary personal determination.
