HE may have only first taken to the snow four years ago, but snowboarder Owen Pick has his sights set on Paralympic glory in PyeongChang next year.

Today (March 9) marks the one year to go milestone until the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games get underway, with Pick among those hoping to be on the plane to South Korea in 12 months’ time.

In 2014, ParalympicsGB enjoyed its most successful Games to date in Sochi, with six medals to declare, while athletes are hoping to represent Great Britain across alpine skiing, snowboarding and curling in PyeongChang.

And for Pick, competing at the Games would mark the perfect end to a whirlwind seven years.

In 2011, the 25-year-old made the decision to amputate his right leg after stepping on an IED 18 months previously, while touring Afghanistan with the 1st Battalion, The Royal Anglians.

While still a relative newcomer to the sport, Pick experienced his first taste of international success with World Championship silver in February, and now he has his eye on another podium prize come 2018.

“I’m so excited. I’ve been training for the last three years and we started off thinking that the Paralympics were miles away, but now, it’s just next year!” he said.

“There was never any doubt in my mind that I wasn’t going to reach this stage, because I just wanted to do it so badly. I can’t wait to see what PyeongChang has to offer.

“It will be a huge honour for me to represent ParalympicsGB out there. I can’t wait to compete for my country in a sport that I love doing.

“I want to do as best as I possibly can. If I can get onto that podium, that would be amazing, and I’m going to go for gold.

“I never expected to get to this level when I first started the sport. It took me a very long time to learn how to do it because I found it really difficult, and then one day it just clicked.”

Following his silver medal exploits at last month’s World Para-Snowboarding Championships in Big White, Canada, finishing second in the SB-LL2 event, Pick has renewed confidence heading into the rest of the season.

And having laid his marker on the international scene, he’s ready for the challenge ahead as he looks to maintain his position at the top of his sport.

“Winning silver was huge for me for two reasons,” he said. “One, to do it at the World Championships, and two, just to get on the podium, because it was the first time I had done it.

“I’ve been working so, so hard to get there, and I was so happy to finally achieve that.

“It proved to me that I can do it, so it felt really good to be standing up there.

“It has definitely boosted my confidence. I’ve spent so much time chasing other competitors and then all my training suddenly paid off.

“I know I’ve still got lots to work on, but it was huge to finally get on that podium with the big boys.”

To follow and support British athletes ahead of the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympics, visit paralympics.org.uk or follow @ParalympicsGB on Twitter