Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeREGIONALSEVENOAKSSevenoaks' Lizzy Yarnold defends her Olympic Skeleton title

Sevenoaks’ Lizzy Yarnold defends her Olympic Skeleton title

Lizzy Yarnold has won double gold after defending her Olympic title in PyeongChang, South Korea in the Skeleton. Lizzy, having won gold at Sochi 2014, becomes the first Briton to retain a Winter Games title and also the first skeleton athlete to do so. It was also the first time two Briton’s have shared a podium at the Winter Games, after Laura Deas finished in the Bronze medal position.

Lizzy headed into the final run 0.02 seconds behind leader Janine Flock, but a poor finish from the Austrian saw her drop out of the medal places. Germany’s Jacqueline Loelling took silver, 0.45 seconds behind Lizzy after the 29-year-old set a new track record.

Lizzy, originally from Sevenoaks, finished her final run in style as she negotiated the track to land a new track record of 51.46 secs. She now has another gold medal to add to the one she won in Sochi four years ago.

Lizzy, speaking to BBC Sport said: “It means so much to me. At times over the last four years it’s been so hard and I’ve doubted myself and wondered whether I could get back to where I wanted to be but the team never lost faith and that’s why I’m back here today on the podium.

“Honestly after the last few years the aim was to get here to the Olympics, I wasn’t thinking about the medals – but to achieve that is the stuff of dreams, as is sharing the podium with Laura who’s been amazing.”

Well done Lizzy, we’re all so very proud of you and we look forward to celebrating your success when you return and the open-top bus parade!

You can read our feature on Lizzy from the January issue of Sevenoaks Sports magazine here.

http://sevenoakssports.co.uk/our-golden-girl

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