Olympic champion Lizzy Yarnold has become an ambassador for a company that provides student-led expeditions.

The 25-year-old, who won this year’s Winter Olympic gold in skeleton, was announced as a brand ambassador for World Challenge today.

The former Maidstone Grammar School for Girls pupil went on a school trip around Belize, Guatemala and Mexico, organised by the company in 2006.

She said: “It was such a worthwhile experience and I picked up so many life lessons; working as part of a team, leadership and coping mechanisms.

I also think I learnt to be a lot more confident in myself and particularly in my ability to make decisions.

“Being a part of World Challenge certainly had a huge impact on my life and helped me grow as a person and as an athlete. It’s great to be involved again!

“I refer back to my World Challenge experience all the time and I’d recommend it to anyone who was thinking about doing it.

"It was one of the best months of my whole life and I still tell people all about it even now.”