Great Britain!

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ICE QUEEN
STARTS WITH WINTER OLYMPICS It's steely superb for Britain as Shelley slides her way to a medal
Neil Mcleman

SHELLEY RUDMAN slid to Great Britain's first medal of the Winter Olympics last night to spark celebrations from Turin all the way back to her home village in Wiltshire.

The 24-year-old part-time teacher caused a major shock by claiming a silver in the skeleton - the death-defying sport where competitors reach 80mph on a tiny steel sled.

Rudman was lying in fourth place after the first run, but a sensational second slide briefly put her in gold medal position in Cesana.

She had to settle for silver when Swiss champion Maya Pedersen recorded a combined time 1.23 seconds faster.

But Rudman was still ecstatic to claim a medal in only her first full-time season after taking up the sport just four years ago.

"I just can't believe it. I'm so shocked," she said.