Skeleton duo slide into form in PyeongChang

Yarnold and Deas excel in training as GB duo prepare for Olympic medal bid

Defending champion Lizzy Yarnold was fastest on the fourth run of skeleton training at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang yesterday – after Great Britain team-mate Laura Deas set the quickest time on the third run.

Deas finished second and first on the first two training runs on Monday, when Sochi 2014 gold medallist Yarnold was third and fourth quickest at the Olympic Sliding Centre in Alpensia.

Yesterday’s second day of official training saw Deas win the third run in which Yarnold was sixth, but the 29-yearold was fastest on the fourth run. Deas was seventh.

The Britons’ results bode well for the four-run competition which begins on Friday and concludes on Saturday.

“We knew we could be very good here together and it’s about being strong as a team,” Yarnold said.

“Training runs are great because you can try different lines and have a bit of fun. I’m becoming more comfortable with each run.

“I’m pushing myself and trying different things because that is what training is for.”

Deas clocked 51.96 seconds for the first run of the day, the third of official training, to beat Canada’s Elisabeth Vathje by 0.10secs, with Yarnold 0.56 behind her team-mate in sixth.

Roles were reversed on the fourth run, as Yarnold clocked 52.05, 0.20 better than Germany’s Anna Fernstaedt. Deas was 0.69 back.

Austria skiing great Marcel Hirscher ended his wait for gold with victory in the men’s combined.

Hirscher has six world titles and 55 World Cup wins, but had just one Olympic medal from two prior Games, with slalom silver in 2014.

The 28-year-old was triumphant at Jeongseon Alpine Centre, placing seventh in the downhill, before overhauling his 1.32 seconds deficit in his favoured slalom event to win by 0.23secs.

Alexis Pinturault took silver and fellow Frenchman Victor Muffat-Jeandet bronze.

Canada won the mixed doubles curling, beating Switzerland 10-3 in the final. The Olympic Athletes of Russia pair took bronze.

The men’s 1,500m long-track speed-skating event was won by Kjeld Nuis of Holland.

Pictures: PA. Lizzy Yarnold, left, and GB team-mate Laura Deas in action during skeleton training yesterday.