Lizzy Yarnold: Difference between revisions

Having suffered from dizzy spells for several years, in September 2017 Yarnold disclosed that she had been diagnosed with a [[vestibular disorder]] affecting the inner ear.<ref>{{cite web |last=McDaid |first=David |title=Lizzy Yarnold: Olympic skeleton champion diagnosed with vestibular disorder |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/winter-sports/41286135 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=15 September 2017 |access-date=27 October 2018}}</ref> After a relatively poor season,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://inews.co.uk/sport/olympics/lizzy-yarnold-interview-winter-olympics/ |title=Lizzy Yarnold interview: ‘After winning everything I had to take time off’ |last=Rich |first=Tim |date=8 February 2018 |website=[[inews.co.uk]] |access-date=27 October 2018}}</ref> she successfully defended her Olympic title at the 2018 Games in Pyongchang, despite suffering from a number of health problems: upon arriving in South Korea for the Games she developed a chest infection, which worsened to the point that she was having trouble speaking and breathing, and on the first day of competition she suffered from dizziness due to a flare-up of her vestibular condition.<ref name=kelner>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/jul/31/lizzy-yarnold-i-wanted-to-scream-winter-olympic-double-gold-medallist |title=Lizzy Yarnold: I wanted to scream ‘I wish people knew the truth’ |last=Kelner |first=Martha |author-link=Martha Kelner |date=31 July 2018 |website=The Guardian |access-date=27 October 2018}}</ref> She took the lead with a new track record on the first run: despite this she subsequently admitted that she was on the verge of pulling out of the competition due to her health problems.<ref name=bens>{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/winter-olympics/2018/02/17/lizzy-yarnold-laura-deas-winter-olympics-womens-skeleton-final/ |title=Lizzy Yarnold takes gold to retain Olympic title as Laura Deas wins bronze |last1=Bloom |first1=Ben |last2=Coles |first2=Ben |date=17 February 2018|website=The Telegraph |access-date=17 October 2018}}</ref> Dropping down to third place after the second run, albeit just a tenth of a second behind overnight leader [[Jacqueline Lölling]], her health improved for the second day, and she subsequently moved up to second after the third run, two hundredths of a second behind new leader [[Janine Flock]].<ref name=bens /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/feb/17/lizzy-yarnold-wins-winter-olympics-gold-laura-deas-bronze-record-britain-day |title=Lizzy Yarnold takes skeleton gold to make Winter Olympics history for Britain |last=Ingle |first=Sean |author-link=Sean Ingle |date=17 February 2018 |website=The Guardian |access-date=27 October 2018}}</ref> On the final run she set another track record to clinch the gold by almost half a second.<ref name=bens /> She subsequently stated that she considers her second Olympic gold to be her greatest achievement.<ref name=retire />

 

Just weeks after the 2018 Olympics, Yarnold underwent knee surgery to remove a tumour in her knee which had been discovered six months before the Games. Following this, her use of crutches worsened the back pain that she had suffered for several years, which was diagnosed as being the result of a [[Spinal disc herniation|displaced disc]], resulting in her being prescribed powerful painkillers for several months afterward.<ref name=kelner /> She subsequently underwent a successful operation on her back in July 2018.<ref name=retire>{{cite web |last=Ingle |first=Sean |author-link=Sean Ingle |title=Lizzy Yarnold quits skeleton after living the Olympic ice queen dream |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/oct/15/lizzy-yarnold-quits-skeleton-winter-olympic-ice-queen |website=The Guardian |date=15 October 2018 |access-date=27 October 2018}}</ref>