Team GB’s skeleton racers – sliding to the top?
The sport has been described as sliding through a wind tunnel on a tea tray. But skeleton racers are among Britain’s medal hopes at Sochi. Keme Nzerem dons his helmet and joins them on the track.
Skeleton, in which an athlete rides a small sled down a frozen track, became a Winter Olympics sport at the Salt Lake City Games in 2002.
Since then, Team GB has established itself as among the best countries in the event, winning one gold, one silver and three bronze medals in men’s and women’s events between 2002 and 2010.
At the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, Lizzy Yarnold, 25, is among the favourites for the women’s skeleton.
She was overall winner of the 2013-14 skeleton world cup, winning four of eight events between November 2013 and January 2014.
Shelley Rudman, who is 32, is the reigning skeleton world champion and won silver for Britain in the 2006 Winter Games.
