Amy Williams

About

Amy is a former skeleton racer and Great Britain’s first individual female gold medallist at a Winter Olympics in 58 years after she produced four near-flawless runs in Vancouver 2010.

She was born in Cambridge and brought up in Bath, being educated at Hayesfield School Technology College, Beechen Cliff School and the University of Bath.

Amy Williams MBE  was a member of her nation’s team four years later at the 2010 Games, and won a gold medal, becoming the first British individual gold medallist at a Winter Olympics for 30 years.

Williams was originally a 400m runner but she was unable to qualify for the national athletics team. She began competing in skeleton in 2002 after trying out at a push-start track at the University of Bath.

At her first major event, the 2009 World Championships in Lake Placid, she won a silver medal.

At the 2010 Games, Williams won the gold medal in the women’s skeleton breaking the track record twice along the way and winning by more than a half a second.

Williams was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2010 Birthday Honours. She was installed as an Honourary Freeman of the City of Bath on 5 June 2010.

Williams became the first British gold medallist in an individual event at the Winter Olympics for 30 years, following Robin Cousins’ victory in figure skating at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, and the first British female individual Winter Olympics gold medallist since Jeannette Altwegg in 1952.

On 1 May 2012, Williams announced her retirement from skeleton.

One of the most respected figures in the history of British athletics, Amy Williams is in demand as a motivational speaker and events host.