Robert Poth has taken a step closer to achieving his ambition of competing in the Olympic Games after being named in the Great Britain squad for the 12th European Youth Olympic Winter Festival at the end of this month.

The 16-year-old, from Potters Bar, is one of eight skiers named in the 15-strong squad that will compete in his sport, cross country skiing, figure skating and snowboarding in Vorarlberg, Austria, and Liechtenstein from January 25 to 30.

Poth, who has been selected for the Great Britain Delancey Under-18 Alpine Ski squad for five consecutive years, said: “ I am so excited to have been selected for the EYOF 2015. I have worked extremely hard in order to achieve the selection. This is the first time many of us will have been part of a team with athletes from other sports. I’m looking forward to being able to get to know the other competitors and supporting GB across the festival.

“It will be a great learning experience for me and a chance to race against Europe’s best junior skiers and many future Olympians. Hopefully the week will help my own ambitions to one day compete at the Olympic Winter Games.”

Poth suffered a serious training accident in November when he sliced his left knee open with one of his skis and required helicopter assistance to get off the slopes to hospital.

In thanking his family, friends, coaches and sponsors, he added: “I am indebted to the excellent sports physiotherapists and strength and conditioning coaches at Hertfordshire Body Balance, based at Performance Hertfordshire University, for helping me to reach a full recovery in a short space of time.”