The fast and fearless women of skeleton

勇敢无畏的速滑女子

The Conversation

2026-01-05

26 分钟
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Skeleton is one of the oldest winter sports in existence. Ella Al-Shamahi talks to two Olympic medallists whose careers have seen them sliding down an icy track – face first – at speeds of up to 140 kilometres an hour. Lizzy Yarnold won gold medals for skeleton at successive Winter Olympics. She joined the Great Britain national squad in 2010, winning Olympic gold in 2014 and 2018, and is the most successful British Winter Olympian and skeleton athlete of all time from any nation. Kimberley Bos is a World Champion skeleton racer from the Netherlands and will be competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. She originally competed internationally in bobsleigh, before switching to skeleton for the 2013–14 European Cup season – being the only skeleton athlete representing her country for years. She won a bronze medal at the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2021 – the first Olympic medal winner for her country in a sliding sport. Kimberley went on to win the World Championships in Lake Placid in March 2025. Produced by Jane Thurlow (Image: (L) Kimberley Bos credit Viesturs Lacis. (R), Lizzy Yarnold credit Karen Yeoman.)
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  • Hello and welcome to the conversation from the BBC World Service,

  • bringing together remarkable women from different countries to shine a light on their achievements and hear their insights.

  • I'm Ella Al-Shamahi.

  • Today on the programme,

  • two Olympic medalists whose careers have seen them sliding down an icy track on a small sled.

  • Face first.

  • At speeds of up to 140 kilometres an hour, Skeleton is one of the oldest winter sports in existence.

  • Lizzie Yarnold is a British athlete and holds the distinction of being the only athlete in Olympic skeleton history to win two gold medals.

  • And 2025 World Champion winner and Olympic bronze medalist, Kimberley Boss,

  • will be competing for the Netherlands in the upcoming Winter Olympics in Italy.

  • Lizzie and Kimberley, welcome to the conversation.

  • Thank you.

  • Thank you.

  • The first thing I want to know is what it actually feels like to slide down a steep ice track at such speed.

  • What physically does that actually feel like, Kimberly?

  • What are the sensations you're experiencing?

  • I describe it to people as a roller coaster

  • because you just get trung left and right and there's a lot of pressure on your body when you go through the curves,

  • but essentially it's a lot of fun.

  • Does it feel dangerous?