Hester Poole, an 18-year-old visually impaired para-alpine skier from Bath, has achieved a remarkable double: a place on the ParalympicsGB team for Milano Cortina 2026 and an offer to study English Literature at the University of Cambridge, all within a month.
Poole, who competes with guide Ali Hall, received her Cambridge offer just two weeks before learning of her Paralympic selection in February, three weeks before the Opening Ceremony. She described the wait as 'nail-biting' but 'all the sweeter for it'.
Balancing A-level revision, university applications, and World Cup competitions has been a challenge, but Poole credited her support network, including teachers who accepted 'half-finished essay plans'. She said: 'I had the audacity to dream big from a very young age.'
Born with a congenital condition affecting her retinas, Poole was inspired by Kelly Gallagher, Britain's first Paralympic gold medallist in skiing, who now coaches her. She aims to use her platform as an ambassador for Guide Dogs for the Blind and Ethiopia Aid, emphasising opportunity and choice.
Poole will make her Paralympic debut in Cortina D’Ampezzo, Italy, alongside Hall, who is studying psychology at the University of Edinburgh. She plans to enjoy the experience, saying: 'It's a sport I enjoy and I do it because I love it.'
