 Rudman is ranked seventh in the World Cup standings |
Slider Shelley Rudman went fastest in the final training run for Thursday's women's skeleton, fuelling hopes of a first British medal of the Games. Rudman beat world champion Maya Pederson by two hundredths of a second on her sixth run at Cesana Pariol.
"I'd hate to say I'll win a medal, I'd be blowing my own trumpet - but I'm not entering for the fun of it," she said.
The British men are also doing well with Adam Pengilly third fastest and Kristan Bromley in sixth.
Rudman is in good form this season, with two fourth-place finishes in the World Cup.
"My coach and I have agreed top 10 would be a good result, top eight would be a lot better and anything else would be extra special," she added.
"I can't believe how well things have gone."
She is enthusiastically backed by supporters in her home village of Pewsey, who raised �4,000 from a canoe marathon to support her push for the Olympics.
"The local community and my parents have been so supportive and raised a lot of money for me," she said.
"It's my first Olympics, there are going to be a lot of great athletes there and I think a top-10 finish would be great. Just being there, considering where I was at the start of the season, is fantastic."
MMIX
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