Lizzy Yarnold Is the Most Successful British Winter Olympian

Lizzy Yarnold poster

Lizzy Yarnold is an outstanding skeleton racer from Great Britain. She won Olympic gold medals in skeleton for 2 Games in a row, becoming the most successful skeleton athlete at Winter Olympics as well as the most successful British Winter Olympian.

Lizzy Yarnold was born on October 31, 1989, in Sevenoaks, Kent, England. She started her career as a heptathlete, but switched to skeleton in 2008. Let’s have a look at Lizzy’s way to the success she has reached.

International Success

Lizzy Yarnold poster

Lizzy Yarnold poster

Yarnold started to compete at the international level in 2010. At the Europa Cup in Igls, she won her first two official races. In 2012, she won the Junior World Championships and became a bronze medalist at the senior World Championships. That year, she also won her first World Cup race in St. Moritz.

2012/13 season was the worst one in Lizzy’s career as she didn’t won any serious competitions. But the situation changed in 2013/14, when she won the skeleton World Cup after being the best racer in 4 events. The following season, she became the overall World Cup silver medalist though she won 5 races.

In 2015, Lizzy Yarnold won the European Championships as well as the World Championships. At 2017 World Championships, she became a bronze medalist.

Olympic Games

Lizzy Yarnold poster

Lizzy Yarnold poster

Yarnold made an Olympic debut at 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. She claimed a gold medal, being the best in all four runs. She finished with the total time of 3:52.89, setting new track records in first (58.43) and third (57.91) runs. Lizzy’s medal became the 10th gold medal for the British athletes in 90 years of Winter Olympics. Moreover, her medal ensured that Great Britain won medals in every women’s skeleton event since it was introduced.

But the skeleton races didn’t stop at that and became an Olympic champion again in 2018 PyeongChang. She became the first person to defend an Olympic gold in skeleton as well as the first British athlete to defend a Winter Olympic title. Moreover, Lizzy set 2 more track records and finished with the total time of 3:27.28.

 Lizzy Yarnold poster

Lizzy Yarnold poster

A curious fact is that the athlete managed to win the races in PyeongChang despite her illness: “I was dizzy, I couldn’t breathe. I have no idea what happened. I’ve been ill for a week. It’s been a great week. We have the doctors, I have my physio Louise. Everyone is supporting me in helping people get here. Athletes are people too. Now I’m going to sleep for weeks. The emotions are gratitude to the whole team to get here, and relief, and exhaustion. And lots of crying”.

Moreover, Yarnold was happy to share the podium with her teammate Laura Deas: “I dreamt a couple of nights ago that we were both on the podium together, but I was too worried to tell her that I’d foreseen it. I’m just overwhelmed. When I had seen that she could potentially be in fourth, I just went and said: ‘Breathe deeply and just believe in yourself.’ I’m so happy. We will be on each other’s mantelpieces forever more”.

All in all, Lizzy Yarnold proved her excellence at 2018 PyeongChang Olympics despite all the obstacles. She is a very ambitious person, who inspires millions of people around the world.

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