Yarnold switches focus back to seniors after world junior gold

By Sportsbeat staff

ELIZABETH Yarnold has her sights firmly set on the FIBT Skeleton World Championships in Lake Placid next month after storming to gold at the junior equivalent in Austria.

Yarnold came from relative obscurity to take her maiden World Cup win on just her second career start last week, edging fellow Brit and Olympic silver medallist Shelley Rudman into second.

And, while Yarnold was somewhat aided on that occasion as heavy snow meant only one run took place in St Moritz, she proved it was no fluke at the Junior World Championships in Igls.

Yarnold, just like her World Cup win in Switzerland, produced the best first run of the competition, clocking 54.70seconds to give her a slender advantage of 0.07 at the top.

And, despite going slower second time out, she still pulled off the best time, 54.80, to give her a winning margin ahead of Russian Olga Potylitsina of 0.44.

German Jacqueline Lolling took bronze a further 0.22 behind but Yarnold knows it is results at the senior World Championships that will have the greatest impact on her fledgling career.

"It was a tough race with a very good field but I am delighted to have won," said Yarnold - who replaced Olympic champion Amy Williams in representing Britain in the World Cup series this month.

"I made a few mistakes on the second run but I worked hard at the bottom of the track to recover and I am pleased that I managed to extend my lead and win gold.

"But we only get funding based on two events, the World Championships and Olympic Games, so none of my results count towards that yet. I will need to perform at the World Championships."

© Sportsbeat 2012