Lizzy Yarnold: 'Olympic performance as good as it gets'

By Joe McPhee | 13 February 2014

Team GB skeleton runner Lizzy Yarnold says that she felt relaxed and pressure-free as she flew to the top of the leaderboard after the first two heats of her event at Sochi 2014.

Team GB's Lizzy Yarnold has hailed her first two runs in the opening heats of the women's skeleton competition at Sochi 2014.

Yarnold broke a track record during her first heat of the event, while a 58.46-second run saw her remain top of the leaderboard ahead of tomorrow's final two heats.

She will take a 0.44-second advantage into tomorrow, with American Noelle Pikus-Pace currently sitting second.

Speaking to TeamGB.com after today's sessions, Yarnold said: "The first and second run are the fastest I've ever gone. It's as good as it gets really. 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.

"I was relaxed as soon as I got to the track. As soon as I stepped on to the start line my coach really settled me and once I started everything felt so natural and I loved it.

"I've been trying lots of different things in training and I've brought that through into competition."

When Great Britain's Amy Williams won gold in the skeleton in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games, she took a lead of 0.30 seconds into the final day.