Lölling, Flock and Yarnold on course for Olympic medals at the halfway stage
Thrilling finale in store for Saturday in PyeongChang
PyeongChang (RWH) The Olympic final of the women’s skeleton on Saturday 17 February looks set to be a thriller for spectators in the Olympic Sliding Center in PyeongChang (KOR), with the first eight athletes separated by less than half a second as they head into the final two of a total of four runs.
The gap is especially tight at the top of the leaderboard, with just 0.02 seconds between the half-time leader, World Champion Jacqueline Lölling of Germany, and Austria’s Janine Flock in second. Great Britain’s Lizzy Yarnold, the 2014 Olympic Champion, currently lies third (0.10 seconds behind) going into the final day of the skeleton competition at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang. Laura Deas (GBR) is also still in with a shot of winning a medal, just 0.17 seconds back in fourth place.
Local hero Sophia Jeong from Korea briefly held the track record on the first run on the Olympic track, and is now 15th overall going into the second and final day.
Simidele Adeagbo (NGR), the first African skeleton athlete to compete at the Winter Games, was one of the fastest starters on day one of the competition in the Olympic Sliding Center in PyeongChang. However, with an overall deficit of five seconds to the leaders, the 36-year-old is currently last in the 20-strong field. ©RWH2018
>> Results
Quotes
Jacqueline Lölling (GER, World Champion in 2016 and 2017, overall winner of the World Cup in 2017 and 2018)
“I skidded a bit in turn four on the second run. It was a bit annoying because it cost me time. I know what I’m capable of, but one thing is clear: you can’t make any mistakes on this track!”
Janine Flock (AUT, silver medallist in the World Championships in 2016, European Champion in 2014 and 2016, overall winner of the World Cup in 2015)
“I feel pretty good after the first day. But it’s a close race, both up front and behind! Unfortunately I made the same mistake in turn nine that I made a few times in training, but I handled it quite well.”
Lizzy Yarnold (GBR, Olympic Champion in 2014, World Champion in 2015)
“It was a much faster track than it had been in training. It’s really exciting, and great fun too! Third is a very good starting position, especially with Laura in fourth place. Two medals for Great Britain would be fantastic!”
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