Graduate grabs gold again

​Lizzy Yarnold retained her skeleton title in PyeongChang on Saturday (17 February) on Great Britain’s most successful day at a Winter Olympics.
 
The 29-year-old, who graduated from the university with a degree in BSc Geography and Sport and Exercise Sciences, became the first Briton – and the first skeleton athlete – to win successive Winter Games golds when she claimed victory.
 
Lizzy is now the most decorated British Winter Olympian – above Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, and Jeanette Altwegg – who have one gold medal and one bronze each in figure skating.
 
Yarnold received an Honorary Doctorate of philosophy in recognition of her outstanding contribution to sport since her days as a student at the Oxstalls campus. She received the honour during the University’s degree ceremony at Gloucester Cathedral in November 2014.

Lizzy first received an Elite Scholarship in 2007 for being a multi discipline track and field athlete, but then got involved in the sport by responding to an advert for UK Sport’s Girls4Gold talent identification campaign whilst at university. She was one of 1,500 national standard sportswomen who attended the initial testing, of which 120 were selected for Skeleton and subsequently whittled down to 10.