Lizzy Yarnold Defends Olympic Title

Neil Simmons
Feb 19, 2018
3 min read

Lizzy Yarnold ends nail-biting women’s skeleton race with second Olympic gold

Jacqueline Lölling claims silver ahead of Laura Deas

Great Britain have reason to celebrate as Lizzy Yarnold defended her Olympic skeleton title in PyeongChang. After a nervous and exciting four heats Yarnold managed to claim the gold medal as just one tenth of a second separated the top three athletes.

Setting a new track record of 51.46 seconds the emotional scenes played out as Yarnold saw her team mate Laura Deas pick up the bronze medal. Germany’s Jacqueline Loelling, who also set a fastest time in her heat like the Briton, managed to secure the silver, 0.45 seconds behind with Laura Deas 0.62 in third claiming the bronze. It was an amazing effort by Deas who had been out of medal contention through the heats but managed to put in a great time.

Austrian Janine Flock went into the final leading but on her final run she dropped back to 4th place which meant Austria would have to wait for its first Olympic medal in the skeleton.

Not only is this the second Olympic gold in succession for Yarnold, who took some time out from the sport after Sochi, it is Great Britain’s third consecutive gold after Any Williams took the top step of the podium at Vancouver in 2010.

The double Olympic champion and 2015 World Champion Lizzy Yarnold had this to say after her historic victory:

“I dreamt about it happening, but I never really believed it would come true. Double Olympic Champion and then to share the podium with my best friend Laura: I’m completely overwhelmed!”

Silver medallist Jacqueline Loelling who also has the 2016 and 2017 World Championships to her name and is 2017 overall World Cup winner was happy with her performance:

“I am incredibly happy. It’s really hard to put it into words. My goal was simply to get a medal; I would have been happy with a bronze. When I saw in the leaders box that the gap between Janine and I was getting smaller and smaller, I really got in the zone as I knew that I am faster at the bottom.”

An ecstatic Laura Deas could not stop smiling when reporters spoke to her about achieving a bronze in her first Olympics.

“I was crossing my fingers for Lizzy. Her time for the fourth run was just fantastic. When Janine made a mistake right at the top, I thought that the door might just stay open for me.”

OFFICIAL RESULT

GOLD – Lizzy Yarnold (GBR) – 3:27.28

SILVER – Jacqueline Loelling (GER) – 3:27.73

BRONZE – Laura Deas (GBR) – 3:27.90

4th – Janine Flock (AUT) – 3:27.92

5th – Tina Hermann (GER) – 3:27.98

6th – Anna Fernstaedt (GER) – 3:28.04

7th – Lelde Priedulena (LAT) – 3:28.49

8th – Kimberley Bos (NED) – 3:28.59

9th – Elisabeth Vathje (CAN) – 3:28.65

10th – Jane Channell (CAN) – 3:29.07

11th – Marina Gilardoni (SUI) – 3:29.43