Three-time Winter Olympian Chemmy Alcott has been selected to represent Team GB at the Sochi Games despite being unable to prove her fitness.

The 31-year-old broke her leg for a third time in August, but makes the squad of 56 athletes, Britain's biggest since the 1988 Games in Calgary.

Alcott's hopes of proving her fitness at the Cortina World Cup meeting in Italy at the weekend were dashed as heavy snowfall saw the race cancelled.

But the former Surbiton High School student made the cut based on two top-32 finishes during an injury plagued qualification period.

"I am so excited and thankful to have been named in todays fantastically strong and competitive Team GB for next month's Sochi Games," she said.

"Being able to compete in my fourth Olympic Games is no less meaningful for me than competing in my first in Salt Lake city in 2002.

"Since Vancouver I have done everything I could have done to be in Russia.

"Preparations were far from ideal, but with self belief and confidence and the support I have from everyone I can't wait to get into that Olympic start gate and push myself to my very best."

Alcott made her Olympic debut in Salt Lake City in 2002, coming 14th in the super-combined, before best-placed finishes of 11th at both the 2006 Turin and 2010 Vancouver Games.

Since then she has broken her leg three times - starting with a serious compound fracture at Lake Louise in 2010 that left her with bone piercing her flesh - and seen her UK Sport funding axed.

Alcott resorted to extreme fund-raising efforts in a bid to keep her dream - which came to fruition this week - alive.

Her selection alongside slalom skier Dave Ryding means there is no place for British downhill number one Dougie Crawford, Alcott's fiancé.