Charlotte Gilmartin eyeing Olympic medal as PyeongChang one-year countdown begins

BySportsbeat

Updated 09/02/2017 at 13:25 GMT

With exactly one year to go until the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games get underway, British speed skater Charlotte Gilmartin insists she is in the form of her life as she chases a podium finish.

Britain's Elise Christie (C) and Charlotte Gilmartin (L) were part of the quartet (Reuters)

Image credit: Reuters

Gilmartin, GB Short Track team captain, made her Olympic debut three years ago in Sochi, where she finished in the top 16.

Since then, she has gone on to become a European 3000m champion, as well as picking up an overall silver medal at the same Championships.

This season has seen the 26-year-old win 1500m World Cup bronze, replicating her achievements of the previous year, and Gilmartin admits PyeongChang could see her produce her very best on the ice.

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"It would mean so much to me to represent Team GB at the next Olympics," she said. "I felt a lot of pressure to qualify for Sochi 2014, and then once I was there I gained so much experience and learning, and finished top 16.

"This time round I am going in more from a performance point of view than development and can't wait to show what I can do. I feel I am in the right space physically, mentally and emotionally."

For companion Elise Christie, a ten-time European champion, PyeongChang will mark her third appearance at a Winter Olympic Games.

This season has seen Christie pick up five World Cup titles, before suffering a concussion that ruled her out of action recently.

But confidence remains high heading into the upcoming World Championships, and Christie is determined to show what she can do.

"I've had some problems with concussion, so haven't been able to race but I'm getting better," she said.

"These things take time and my focus is the World Championships in March and getting better for those.

"I'm feeling really confident on the ice at the moment, and feel like I have a presence which is a good feeling and it's the best form I have ever been in for sure."

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