Coomes and Buckland backed by Torvill and Dean to be a hit in PyeongChang

Having gone through a similar ordeal when ice dance partner Nick Buckland was forced into heart surgery just three months before Sochi 2014, the duo have proved their resilience once again by qualifying for a third Olympics little more than a year after Coomes' knee was shattered into eight pieces.

The 28-year-old, born in Maidenhead, is no stranger to knee complaints having sprained a ligament in the 2010-11 season, but when she fell from Buckland's shoulders during training in June 2016, few would have backed her to be skating at PyeongChang 2018.

Returned they have, though, and Sarajevo 1984 champions Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean have backed them to improve on their tenth-place finish in the Sochi 2014 ice dance.

"Nick and Penny have come back from an incredible injury, but they're coming back stronger, mentally stronger," said Dean, speaking at SportsAid's annual SportsBall in London.

"They're so hungry to get back into the sport and to be competitive again. I think PyeongChang will be a great event for them, I've got my fingers crossed for them.

"I've worked with them this year on a short dance and they're excited about what they're doing.

"They're a great force together. Their combined desire is so strong that each helps the other one through it.

"It's not a case of them being fractured, it's actually brought them together to be stronger."

Coomes and Buckland booked their Olympic place with a new personal best at the Nebelhorn Trophy this September – their last opportunity to secure a berth on Team GB.

And Torvill believes it is all they have been through in their careers to date that has meant the training accident that left Coomes fearing for her career has not torn them apart.

"I think that Penny has been really brave throughout the whole thing, because it was a nasty injury and she has been very disciplined in her rehab and physio," said four-time world champion Torvill.

"That is why they are able to be back competing again.

"I know they still want it. From messages I could see how excited they were to do their first competition again.

"Christopher went to watch them in Germany and they did really, really, well."

Sportsbeat 2017