The initial race had been scheduled to take place in La Plagne in France on January 31 but was cancelled due to unacceptable ice conditions, with the Championships shifting to Igls, at a track that judging from the last two days suits the Sochi 2014 Olympic champion perfectly.

After the Briton claimed World Cup victory in yesterday's races, despite starting the second run in fourth place, her confidence would have been increased after proving to be the fastest slider on today's first run by posting a time of 54.52sec.

Yarnold clinched the title in impressive style, as she went faster in the concluding run to beat World Cup leader Janine Flock of Austria by 0.30 seconds, with her combined time of 1min 48.84sec enough to add the European title to her Olympic crown.

"Being European Champion was a huge goal of mine, I desperately wanted to add that crown - that was one of the goals for the season, and the other one is the World Championships, so it's been a really, really good day," Yarnold said.

Janine Flock took silver but saw her World Cup lead cut ©Bongarts/Getty Images



The European Championships also doubled up as another World Cup event, with the Olympic champion's victory cutting the points deficit in the overall standings.

Yarnold's focus will now turn to the Sochi venue where she sealed Olympic gold as she attempts to overhaul Flock's 53-point advantage in the overall standings, but the Briton played down comparisons made between her and Latvia's Martins Dukurs who has been dominant in the men's event this season.

"I try and look just like myself because I'm very proud to just be who I am and to be the best slider that I can be - it doesn't matter whether I've won Olympic gold or not, I'm just trying to be a better athlete," Yarnold said.

Her team mate Rose McGrandle took the bronze medal behind Flock, which also secured British Skeleton's 200th medal since the Turin 2006 Winter Olympic Games.

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