Lizzy Yarnold encourages female athletes to embrace new Olympic talent search
- Published
Yarnold won back-to-back Olympic gold medals in 2014 and 2018
Double Olympic champion Lizzy Yarnold is backing a new nationwide search to unearth future female skeleton stars.
Yarnold, who retired in late 2018, was a heptathlete before switching to skeleton after taking part in the first UK Sport backed 'Girls4Gold' talent identification programme in 2008.
She went on to become Britain's most successful Winter Olympian with golds at both the 2014 and 2018 Games.
"It's an amazing opportunity," Yarnold told BBC Sport.
"I knew very little about skeleton when I signed up but I took a chance, it changed my life and I'd encourage anyone who's thinking about it to just go for it."
British women have won a medal at each Games since the sport returned to the Olympic programme in 2002, with Yarnold (gold) and team-mate Laura Deas (bronze) sharing historic podium success at Pyeongchang 2018.
Deas, who joined the skeleton programme after previously competing in equestrian, will lead GB's medal bid heading into Beijing 2022.
'Project Milano: Girls4Gold' is looking for women aged 17-25 who have the potential to challenge for the podium places at the 2026 Games in Italy.
"We are looking for young women with potential to achieve great things, even if they don't realise that yet," said Danny Holdcroft, Head of Talent for the British Skeleton team.
"We are not seeking ready-made stars so we would encourage anyone who has athletic ability, is fast and powerful and has a desire to push their boundaries and experience new things to come forward and believe in themselves. That's exactly what Lizzy and Laura did 12 years ago."
Applications are now open on the BBSA website and successful applicants will be invited to the University of Bath for testing later in the spring.
"I know if you put the hard work in and commit to being the best you can be, the team will put the time and the tools into helping you do that and the end result could be something pretty amazing," said Yarnold.
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