Madi Rowlands
Unfortunately after the blood clots in my brain in 2019 I wasn’t able to be cleared and come off meds until they found a reason for them. In 2021 I was diagnosed with a super rare blood condition that causes my blood to be ‘sticky’. Due to this I have to be on medication for life which basically means I can ski but only for fun -kinda takes the fun out of it🤣. Obviously this was heart breaking news for me and I struggled to come to terms with it for quite some time (I think they call it being in denial???) so I didn’t really want the world knowing about it.
Every one talks about the struggles of being an athlete but no one talks about how life after sport can leave you feeling so lonely and lost. I was thrown into a retirement I didn’t want (and was in no way prepared for) so finding something I wanted to do was a struggle to say the least. It’s incredibly hard looking for a career when you’ve already had your dream job since you were 14. However in 2022 I started my journey into the ambulance service and I’m so glad I did! Not only is it an incredible job but I’ve met so many amazing people in the process.
As cringy as it sounds I definitely lost my sparkle for a bit- but I’m back baby ✨
Obviously I have so so so many people to thank for so many different reasons the main ones being sponsors, coaches and team mates. I have been and will continue to watch enviously from the sidelines ☺️. Sorry for the long post lol- has been a long time coming and this is for sure the short version 🤟🏼
#peaceoutskiing
#peaceoutskiing
About me
My current AFP world rankings – Madison Rowlands
I have been skiing since I could walk and took up an interest in freestyle skiing by following my older brother Michael through the ski park when we were away on family holidays. I quickly progressed and entered my first competitions in 2010. In 2011, I entered all ski discipline competitions at the British Championships in Laax, Switzerland and won gold in my age category in all four events.
In 2013, I became the youngest ever athlete to win the British Championships overall womens’ slopestyle event. In 2014, I repeated this victory, also adding the overall halfpipe title as well as winning all of my age group events.
As a result of these successes, I became the youngest member of the GB freestyle team representing GB in both halfpipe and slopestyle disciplines – the only GB athlete doing both.
In 2016, I was selected to represent GB at the Youth Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway. I am extremely proud to say that I made history by becoming the first ever GB athlete to win a gold medal on snow by winning the halfpipe competition. A few days later I added a bronze medal in the slopestyle event.
In 2017, I finished the season second in the AFP World Tour women’s overall rankings, I was the AFP World Tour Junior Halfpipe champion and was also ranked second in the AFP World Tour Junior overall rankings.
In 2018, I qualified for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in both halfpipe and slopestyle but did not compete due to an injury I sustained just three weeks before the Games started.
Youth Olympic Games 2016
"It’s a great result and a brilliant experience going forward to big competitions in the future."
Portfolio
The nature of my sport allows me to travel the world to amazing places and to ski in fantastic parks and pipes. These are just a few of my favourite memories so far
