Olympic skier from Sheffield joins South Yorkshire Police to fulfil dreams in city she 'loves'

Molly Summerhayes, 23, from Crystal Peaks, came 17th when she competed as part of Team GB in the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.

The 23-year-old halfpipe skier retired from the sport after she received the news that she would not receive funding to continue competing.

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Molly, who has lived in Sheffield all her life, has now swapped the slopes for the streets by joining South Yorkshire Police as part of a Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) at Sheffield Hallam University.

The former Olympian will learn the skills and theory behind being a officer, as well as learning on the job as part of the three-year-degree – which she hopes will help her fulfil her new dream of policing in the city she loves.

"I love Sheffield, I always used to say to my friends that I love Sheffield and coming home, it's just like your family, it's where you're from,” Molly said.

"Sheffield wasn't on the map for skiing and neither was the UK and I just hold it close to my heart to be from here.

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"I really enjoy talking to people, I love helping people and I didn't want to sit in a job where I was in an office all day, I wanted to be outside and doing everything I could.

"That was just the job that appealed to me the most and you always see police officers while you're out and about.

"You know what the uniform stands for and you know what the police stand for.

"It was just something that I really wanted to be a part of."

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After sailing through all the different assessment stages to be accepted on the PCDA, Molly started studying at university two weeks ago.

The 23-year-old from Crystal Peaks, whose sister Katie has also represented Britain at the Olympics, has online classes four days a week and one day of in-person teaching at Sheffield Hallam but won’t be getting out into the field until October.

"It's been alright actually and I've got a really good team around me with my new class mates and we've been helping each other out,” Molly added.

"It's a new experience for everyone, working from home because a lot of people haven't really done it.

"Every time I got past a stage in the assessment centre I was like 'omg I could be a police officer' and now I really am one.

"I am so proud to be a part of this team, I know what it's like to be part of an excellent team, I've been in one with team GB and I can't wait to be part of another.”

The former Olympic skier explained what it was like competing in the 2018 Winter games.

“It's mad because growing up it is never somewhere I thought I would be,” she said.

"When you're in the athlete's village getting all your kit and having your name on TV it is crazy.

"It was the defining moment of my career.”

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