Ms. Namita Nayyar:
In the 2011/12 season you became the junior World Champion and a bronze medalist in the senior World Championships, becoming an inspiration for thousands of women who look up to you. What is a day like in the life of Lizzy Yarnold both while training for and off Olympics?
Ms. Lizzy Yarnold:
A day of training during the summer months when we are in the UK consists of 2 sessions of gym work, lots of resistance training and sprint work. Some time on our push track to work on our start, and lots of other technical work on our sleds, planning for races, physio etc. When we are competing we have a few days of training on the track itself ahead of a race and keep our strength and conditioning and stretching programme going to stay race fit. There is also lots of sled prep to do and race preparation, studying the lines of the track and working out racing tactics.
When I am having time off I like to spend time at home with my family and enjoy cycling, knitting, cooking.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
At the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, you went on to become the first person to defend an Olympic gold in skeleton and the first British athlete to defend a Winter Olympic title. Share with us your preparation, training, and motivation that has helped you to become a double Olympic Champion.
Ms. Lizzy Yarnold:
It has taken a lot of hard work, a lot of tears have been shed, through injuries and set backs and just generally the toll being an elite athlete takes on your body and your health, and your relationships with people, being away from home as a winter athlete (we compete abroad for 5 months of the year) is tough. But I am so aware of how lucky I am that I got to do a job that I love for so many years, I got to test my body and mind in ways which will always benefit me as a person throughout life.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You were chosen to be the flag bearer for Great Britain at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics. No doubt it is a matter of great proud and honor to be invested upon, when were you informed and what was your first reaction?
Ms. Lizzy Yarnold:
I was told by Mike Hay the Team GB Chef de Mission a few days before the Ceremony. It is a huge honor to be chosen to be your country’s flag bearer at an Olympics, especially when it was voted for by your fellow athletes. I found the whole experience very emotional, it felt like such an important responsibility, I was very moved by it all.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Winning involves a lot of determination and hard work, more so in the life of a sportswoman. What exercises comprise your fitness regime both on a daily basis & when you are preparing for competition?
Ms. Lizzy Yarnold:
I do a lot of yoga for flexibility and lots of core training. When we are in the gym we lift a lot of heavy weights, particularly on our legs in order to build strength for the push start at the beginning of the run. We do lots of sprint work too, we have to try and convert all our power into speed at the start of the run.
