Laura Deas targeting ‘pretty special’ medal haul in Beijing

Deas has struggled to repeat her Pyeongchang heroics, with just three top finishes to her name.

Laura Deas hopes to build on the bronze medal she won in 2018 (Mike Egerton/PA) (PA Archive)

Laura Deas is confident she can put a disappointing World Cup season behind her and stretch Great Britain’s medal-winning streak in women’s skeleton to six Olympic Games in Beijing.

The 33-year-old, who claimed a bronze medal behind the now-retired Lizzy Yarnold in Beijing, has struggled to repeat her Pyeongchang heroics with just three top finishes to her name.

But Deas insists recent history must not rule out her chances of winning a second medal in the Chinese capital and continuing a run of podium finishes that started with Alex Coomber’s bronze medal in Salt Lake City in 2002.

Deas said: “I’ve had a pretty up-and-down season and it’s fair to say it hasn’t gone as well as it could have done in terms of outcomes.

“But we are constantly trying to work things out for the Olympics, and I very much feel like when we’re in Beijing and we’ve got our entire package together, we can still go out and do something pretty special.”

Deas is joined in the women’s squad by Oldham 27-year-old Brogan Crowley, while on the men’s side both Matt Weston and Marcus Wyatt boast World Cup podium places this season.

Weston won Britain’s first men’s World Cup gold for 13 years in Igls in November, while Wyatt has won two top-level medals, including silver at the Olympic test event last year.

Weston said: “I still can’t believe it’s real! Being selected to not only go to an Olympics but be aiming for medals is a dream I have had since I can remember.

“I can’t wait to head back out to the best track I’ve raced on this season and enjoy every moment.”