Lizzy Yarnold will compete at the Senior World Championships this month

Relief was the overwhelming emotion for Lizzy Yarnold after finding out she had become junior world champion in bob skeleton last week.

The 23-year-old led after the first round at Igls in Austria and despite a slightly ragged second run she went on to increase the advantage over Russia’s Olga Potylitsina to take gold by almost half a second in the winter sport, which sees competitors hurtle head first on a sled down a bobsleigh run.

The West Kingsdown athlete won silver at the championships 12 months ago and was thrilled to reach the top step of the podium this time around.

She said: “It was a massive relief to finish the second run. I knew it was going to be a very tight competition but winning it was my focus for the season.”

It was the second success in as many weeks for Yarnold, who won in only her second World Cup event at St Moritz just before heading to Igls. She did not have long to celebrate the newly acquired status as a junior world champion and within hours was on her way to Canada to compete in the next round of the World Cup.

The hectic schedule continues later this month with the pinnacle of her career so far - the Senior World Championships at Lake Placid, New York.

The entry comes as part of the junior win and Yarnold is looking forward to going up against the world’s best.

She said: “I’m not someone who puts pressure on myself because I wouldn’t want it to have a negative affect - I perform when I enjoy myself.

“I won’t be going with specific expectations, just to do my best and see what happens.”