Skeleton star Lizzy Yarnold to deliver Anglia Ruskin University lecture

Lizzy Yarnold, the most successful British Winter Olympian of all time, will deliver the 11th Excellence in Sport Lecture on March 8 at 7pm as part of a series of free events at ARU to mark International Women’s Day.

Lizzy, who competed in the high-speed event of skeleton, followed up her gold medal at the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014 with gold four years later in PyeongChang, making her the first British athlete to defend a Winter Olympic title.

Her online public talk will provide an insight into competing at an elite level. Lizzy will also reflect on her journey and discuss the challenges she encountered during her career.

She will answer questions, which can be sent in advance via community@aru.ac.uk or be posted online on the night.

Lizzy, who retired from the sport in 2018, said: “I am delighted to be the 11th speaker in the Excellence in Sport Lecture Series at Anglia Ruskin University.

“I’m excited to be able to speak directly to students, and the wider community, about my daily failures and successes which helped guide me along the way to two Winter Olympic gold medals.

“I am often asked ‘How did you get into such a strange sport?’ As a child with huge sporting ambitions, and what my parents would consider to be a fierce sense of independence and grit, it was probably inevitable."

She added: “With only one year to go until the next Winter Olympics in Beijing, I hope to give a rare insight into the athletes’ experience, and their expectations, of preparing for a Winter Olympic Games.”

The free event on March 8 is supported by Living Sport. To reserve a place, visit the events page on ARU’s website.

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