Menna Fitzpatrick wants to return to the top of the podium after gold at PyeongChang 2018
Menna Fitzpatrick’s bid to reclaim her Paralympic title will start with a cup of tea, a stretch, and a good sleep.
The visually impaired para-alpine skier, who won gold in the slalom at PyeongChang 2018, will head to Milano Cortina 2026 as the most-decorated British Winter Paralympian, aiming to increase that tally.
Fitzpatrick, 27, currently boasts six Paralympic medals to her name but admits that success starts in bed.
“Sleep is massively important. It means we’ve got the energy to get up and train in the morning to the best of our ability to be able to compete in a good state,” she said.
“I try to settle in with a cup of tea and switch off. I often find myself watching TV in a completely different world and trying to take myself away from everything and the environment. That makes me get good sleep.”
Fitzpatrick, who hails from Macclesfield, skis with a guide who goes down the slope ahead of her in a hi-vis vest with a bluetooth headset to communicate any potential obstacles and maintain the right distance.
She partnered with Jennifer Kehoe at the Paralympics in 2018, before teaming up with current guide Katie Guest in 2022.
But after winning gold at the World Championships, Guest tested positive for Covid-19 ahead of the 2022 Games, meaning her bronze and silver in Beijing came alongside Gary Smith.
Milano Cortina, then, will give Guest and Fitzpatrick the opportunity to ski at a Paralympic Games together for the first time which they will not take for granted.
“It’s been a long couple of seasons with injuries and stuff like that so just getting to the start line will be a success for me,” said Fitzpatrick.
“I want to enjoy the journey of the Paralympics and being part of a much bigger community.”
Those injuries have meant rest and recovery have become even more important in her preparations, having suffered a knee injury in December 2025 that threatened her place at the Games.
But with sleep aided by Dreams, who has extended its partnership with Team GB and ParalympicsGB, reinforcing its commitment to helping Britain’s athletes sleep, recover, and perform at their best, Fitzpatrick is making sure she is ready to face any challenge in Italy.
“I’m aiming to be well-rested which to me is how I feel in the morning,” she explained.
“I try not to go off the minutes or exact hours I sleep, I’m just like, ‘do I have the energy I want? Do I have the energy to push myself?’
“If I’m really feeling confident that means I’m well rested.”
As the Official Sleep Partner of ParalympicsGB, Dreams is helping our Great British athletes dream big at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games. To find out more, visit: dreams.co.uk/team-gb