A FUTURE sporting star is gliding her way to a national record.

Ice-skating schoolgirl Alex Snowdon is now just 1.3 seconds away from becoming the fastest Brit on blades over 777 metres for her age.

The 12-year-old Roedean pupil was taking part in the 59th annual Trofeo Alberto Nicoladi short track competition in the Italian Alps when she hit her personal best – a time of 1.21.547 minutes.

She said: “I really enjoyed competing recently at the Trofeo Alberto Nicoladi as it was an opportunity to skate against four of the fastest girls in the world.

“Competing at this level pushes you to find power you do not realise you have.

“I was so pleased with my new personal best time on the 777m as I am now just over a second away from taking the U14 British record.”

Only 13 skaters in her age group, under 14s, have shown they are capable of covering the distance in 1.20 minutes or less.

After her outstanding performance in Italy, she was placed 23rd in the world in the sport.

Her achievements are made all the more impressive by the fact that she only picked up the sport in 2018 – switching from ice dancing.

Though her opponents often come from countries with far better opportunities and facilities for the sport, Alex has not let this hold her back and has gone on to represent the UK as a speed skater in competitions across Europe.

Since switching sports she has picked up four gold medals and a bronze at some of the continent’s top competitions.

In January she won the British Short Track championship title for a second year and she will be representing Team GB at two major long track competitions this month, The Youth Country Match in Finland and The Viking Race in Holland.

Alex splits her training between the ice rink at the Guildford Spectrum in Surrey and The Hague in Holland.

She visits the latter most weekends as the UK does not have a long track rink.

Now, with her eyes set firmly on becoming an Olympian, she has also joined a Parisian club renowned for its short track coaching and a Dutch club offering Olympic level long track lessons.

Alex said: “Two skaters from my speed skating club recently returned from the Youth Winter Olympic Games in Lausanne with a silver and a bronze medal.

“The medals were really heavy and it has inspired me even more than before to want to go to the Olympics.

“The next Youth Winter Olympic Games will be held in South Korea in 2024 and the next Winter Olympic Games that I could qualify for will be held in Italy in 2026. All my training and competing is with this in mind.”

Though she is travelling around Europe to compete, she still goes to school in Brighton and has blown teachers away with her dedication.

Roedean headmaster Oliver Blond said: “What Alex is achieving is simply astounding. Her determination and hard work combined with a wonderful talent will take her far – and we will be cheering her all the way.”