Yarnold Success the Inspiration

by James Skitt - 03.02.12

Athletes preparing for the next phase of the UK Talent Team’s (UK Sport and English Institute of Sport [EIS]) Power2Podium campaign need only look at the recent results of Lizzy Yarnold for inspiration as they take another step towards becoming elite athletes.

Having already progressed through three rigorous assessment phases ten hopefuls (9 men, 1 women) will head to Norway this week for a two week Skeleton training camp to assess their potential in the sport.

Just three years ago Yarnold was packing her bags for the same trip after emerging through the Girls4Gold initiative. Earlier this month, she claimed World Cup gold in an historic British one-two (along with Shelley Rudman) in St Moritz, was crowned Junior World Champion in Igls and has qualified for next month’s FIBT World Championships in Lake Placid.

Like Girls4Gold the current campaign, Power2Podium, aims to unearth talent capable of becoming Olympic champions across a number of targeted sports, including Skeleton, by assessing applicants through a series of assessments before placing those good enough within the development programme of sports.

Since its inception in 2006 campaigns led by the UK Talent Team have seen over 50 athletes placed within the Olympic and Paralympic development programmes of sports working towards success in London 2012, Sochi 2014, Rio 2016 and beyond.

The success is hard earned however. Of over 1,400 initial applicants to Power2Podium only 52 were put forward to Skeleton for Phase 2, a figure reduced to 18 for Phase 3 and now just 10 remain, all of whom will travel Norway to attend Phase 4.

The timing of Yarnold’s success is perfect and a clear reminder of what can be achieved according to EIS Senior Talent Scientist Ian Yates.

“Although these athletes have already shown a great deal of potential in making it this far, they are still very much at the beginning of their journey towards becoming world class athletes” he explains.

“However the example of Lizzy Yarnold, who was in their position just three years ago, will be an inspiration to this current group and certainly illustrates what can be achieved.”