Lizzy Yarnold won world junior silver last year

Lizzy Yarnold is celebrating after winning skeleton bob gold at the Junior World Championships in Switzerland last week.

The 23-year-old from West Kingsdown took the title at Igls in the winter sport a week after winning gold at the World Cup at St Moritz.

Yarnold, who claimed a silver medal at the world juniors 12 months ago, said: “It was a tough race with a very good field but I am delighted and really, really happy that I won, especially as my parents flew out to watch and support me.”

The Briton held a lead of just seven hundredths of a second after Thursday’s first run and despite admitting to a few mistakes on the second run, she extended her advantage to almost half a second over Russia’s Olga Potylitsina after the final run.

The victory qualifies Yarnold for the Senior World Championships, held at Lake Placid in the United States next month.