Relive the Games - Vancouver 2010 Special
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Amy Williams at Vancouver 2010
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Grace Cullen 07 February 2013
Amy slides to historic victory
At Salt Lake City 2002, Great Britain won a skeleton bronze medal, before claiming silver in the same sport at Turin 2006.
However, ahead of Vancouver 2010, Britain had not won an individual gold medal at the Winter Olympics for 30 years. A British woman had not done so since 1952.
Step forward Amy Williams, the 27-year-old from Bath, who narrowly missed out on competing in Turin, but arrived in Canada in the form of her life.
Armed with her trusty sled, Arthur, Amy stood atop the Whistler Sliding Track – the fastest track in the world – knowing she needed the performance of her life.
Sprinting to the start and hurling herself atop Arthur, Amy got off to the best start imaginable, setting a new start record, finishing her first run in a new track record and launching herself into first place.
Following her second run, and at the halfway stage of the competition, Amy was 0.30 seconds up on her nearest rival, taking the overnight lead at her first Olympic Games and sending out a very clear signal that she was here to do business.
The next day, after run three Amy had maintained her lead, propelling herself to half a second ahead of Canadian home favourite Mellisa Hollingsworth.
With just the final run remaining, Amy knew that a clean run would see her crowned champion, yet the pressure was enormous, Great Britain had waited three decades to see an individual champion crowned at a Winter Olympics.
Showing no sign of nerves as she launched herself down the Whistler track for one last time, Amy produced yet another superb run to claim the gold medal. However, such was her disbelief she didn’t celebrate, instead immediately seeking her coach so he could confirm the result.
All that was left to do was soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the moment, and draped in a Union Jack with a mile wide smile, Amy did just that.
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