Rosie Brennan, pictured at this year's FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Austria, is the first winner of the Inga Award ©Getty Images

Rosie Brennan has become the first recipient of the Inga Award, an honour given by US Nordic Olympic Women, a group of 50 American Olympians in cross-country skiing.

The 30-year-old from Salt Lake City received the honour during a reunion of the women Olympians in Quebec following the International Ski Federation (FIS) World Cup Finals that were held there.

Brennan, who competed at last year’s Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, has just completed a career-best season having come back from a bout of mononucleosis that wreaked havoc with her health.

Brennan was a unanimous selection, "being cited for her diligent and patient efforts working back from illness, showing courage, fortitude, grit, determination and raw talent to achieve an extremely high level of success on the international ski racing circuit this season".

Rosie Brennan of the United States pictured at this year's FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, where she finished 16th after recovering from mononucleosis - an award-winning performance ©Getty Images
Rosie Brennan of the United States pictured at this year's FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, where she finished 16th after recovering from mononucleosis - an award-winning performance ©Getty Images

Brennan, who finished 16th in the women's 30km freestyle event at this year's FIS World Championships in Seefeld in Austria, commented: "This is extremely special to me.

"This group is incredibly accomplished and has been through so much.

"To be recognized by them is incredibly meaningful to me - it means much more than any race result could mean."

Around 30 of the 50 Olympians attended the first reunion in Quebec, where they also watched current US stars such as Pyeongchang 2018 women’s team sprint gold medallist Jessica Diggins and Sochi 2014 competitor Sadie Bjornsen.

Ladies‘ cross-country skiing was added to the Winter Olympics at Sapporo in 1972.

The Inga Award is named in honour of Inga Varteig, the legendary mother of the Norwegian child prince Haakon IV who was carried to safety on cross-country skis by Birkebeiner soldiers, known for their birch bark leggings, during a civil war in the winter of 1205-1206.