Yarnold ready to deliver Britain’s first Winter gold
OVERWHELMING skeleton favourite Lizzy Yarnold is on the cusp of winning Britain’s first gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Sochi today – and only the team’s third in 30 years.
The 25-year-old set a track record in yesterday’s opening heat and extended her overall lead to 0.44 seconds after recording the fastest time of the second run shortly afterwards.
She said: “The first and second run are the fastest I’ve ever gone.
“I don’t feel the pressure. I’ve not been thinking about other peoples expectations because I’ve got such high expectations of myself anyway.”
Yarnold is odds-on favourite with bookmakers to clinch gold when heat four begins at 4.50pm British time, while compatriot Shelley Rudman, silver medal winner in 2006, is 11th.
Short-track speed skater Elise Christie was stripped of a silver medal yesterday, despite crossing the line in second place, after being adjudged to have caused a crash in the second lap of the 500m final.
Slopestyle skier James Woods also missed out on a medal, finishing fifth after being hampered by a hip injury suffered in training last week.
Team GB’s curlers continued their progress toward the semi-finals, the men beating USA 5-3 while the women won 8-7 against China.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
Lizzy Yarnold competes in heat three at 3.40pm British time, then should seal skeleton gold at 4.50pm
Team GB’s eldest member, 41-year-old Kristan Bromley, starts skeleton heat one at 12.30pm, heat two at 2pm
The women’s curlers play Japan at 10am, the men meet Denmark at 3pm