Olympian Victoria Pendleton, 43, gets green beret as Honorary Colonel to inspire girls to join the Royal Marines

She is one of our greatest-ever Olympians and now Victoria Pendleton is to make history by becoming an Honorary Colonel in the Royal Marines.

The 43-year-old sportswoman will become the first woman to wear the elite regiment's famous green beret as the Marines have yet to have a female successfully pass their gruelling recruitment course.

It is hoped Pendleton, a nine-time world champion track cyclist who won gold medals at the Olympics in Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012, will inspire young women to pick the Marines as a career choice.

Last week she joined commandos on a 30-mile march across Dartmoor before presenting successful recruits with their coveted green berets.

The Marines remain the only infantry force in the UK to have never had a female serve in their ranks.

More than 20 women have applied but only two have managed to start the notoriously tough 36-week training course – and both failed. Five Army female soldiers have passed a less demanding six-week course.

A senior Marines source told the MoS: 'Victoria has experienced hardship through her training and has represented Great Britain at the highest level of sporting achievement. She is an inspiration to young men and women.'

Pendleton's new role will be announced early next year as the Marines celebrate their 360th anniversary. 

The cyclist is no stranger to the military. Her partner, Louis Tinsley, is a former Special Forces soldier and she took part in the arduous television series SAS Who Dares Wins in 2019.

Earlier this year she won high praise for her role in the Stand Up To Cancer programme Don't Look Down, walking a 300ft high wire above London alongside comic Paddy McGuinness, Coronation Street star Beverley Callard and Pussycat Doll Kimberly Wyatt. 

Her decision to take part in the programme came after the loss of her twin brother Alex, who died of a brain tumour in June.

While Victoria will be the first to wear an honorary green beret she will not be the first woman to serve in the Corps. In 1774, Hannah Snell disguised herself as 'James Gray' and joined the Marines serving on the warship HMS Swallow.

Col Pendleton will take up her duties alongside TV adventurer Bear Grylls, another honorary colonel; and Col Baron Sir Mark Sedwill, the former Cabinet secretary, who is President of the Special Forces Club.