Elise has sights set on Olympic medal redemption
Elise Christie heads for the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang looking for redemption.
The 27- year- old from Livingston provided the most- potent images of the last Games in Sochi when the TV cameras captured her in tears after disqualifications in all three of her events.
There followed months of self- doubt, which became even more harrowing when she received internet death threats emanating from South Korea, where fanatical short-track fans blamed the Scot for depriving one of their athletes of a medal in a collision which led to both girls being disqualified.
But last year Christie became World Champion and now she’s back at the Olympics, in the lion’s den of South Korea.
Once more she’s carrying the favourite’s tag as she aims for gold at her t h re e distances.
“I went through some bad stuff,” she says. “But I’m a world champion and people can see I’m the sort of person it takes to do that after everything that’s gone wrong.
“Everyone remembers me crying on screen at Sochi, but I’ve got no regrets because I put everything into this and it does get emotional.
“I’ve been to South Korea since and the fans were really nice. If I’m not racing one of their skaters I’m a favourite.
“It will probably be the most exciting Games ever for us, because for them speed skating is more than a sport.
“One of the most difficult parts will be having two of three from the same country trying to race me out. For ages that stopped me from winning medals.
“I used to see that as a threat, but now I treat it as a challenge.
“Technically I shouldn’t be beating athletes from certain countries that have massive coaching programmes and three people racing against me.
“But I’m in the best shape I could be to overcome that.
“I ’m not saying I ’m definitely going to win a gold medal, but t h a t ’s m y intention.
“One of the biggest things I’ve done recently is learning to accept failure. When something went wrong it devastated me.
“For so l ong I’d felt responsible for the medals, because we’ve not got a massive team of winners.”
Christie began her career as a figure skater, a discipline she felt was unsuited to her because of its emphasis on appearance.
She appreciates the irony that these days she’s one of the few speed skaters who races in full make-up.
“I was quite tomboyish when I was younger,” she smiles. “My personality is still like that, but now people always say I’m the Barbie of speed skating because no-one else wears make up and does their hair!
“For me figure skating was too much about performing. Short track feels more like winning. That suits my style more.
“I didn’t know much about speed skating, but I remember thinking that short track skates looked more comfortable so I should try it.
“After just a few weeks doing short track, I won a chocolate selection box and that sold it to me!”