Kim Meylemans wins World Cup skeleton in run-up to Winter Olympics
Kim Meylemans was on Friday crowned the winner of the World Cup skeleton for the first time in her career. She finished third in the final race in Altenberg, Germany. Meylemans is one of Belgium's main medal contenders at the Winter Olympics, which will start in a few weeks in Cortina d'Ampezzo and Milan.
Kim Meylemans finished third in the seventh and final race of the World Cup skeleton, behind two German competitors: winner Jacqueline Pfeifer and Susanne Kreher. The 29-year-old, nicknamed “the Little Belgian”, won two World Cup events earlier this season in Sigulda, Latvia, and was also the best in St. Moritz, Switzerland, last week. Because St. Moritz counted as the European Championship, the German-born racer thus also won the European title – for the second time.
In the final World Cup standings, Meylemans finished with 1,443 points, ahead of Pfeifer (1,338 points) and Britain's Tabitha Stoecker (1,236 points).
After her recent top performances, Meylemans is considered one of Team Belgium's main medal contenders at the Winter Olympics, which will start in a few weeks in Italy. This will be her third Olympic participation after 2018 (14th in Pyeongchang) and 2022 (18th in Beijing).
Skeleton is one of the oldest winter sports, and one of the most thrilling. Athletes start standing, just like in bobsleigh, then – after a short push – jump face down onto their sled and slide head first down an ice track. They steer by shifting their body weight as they race along the track at 130-140km an hour.
#FlandersNewsService | Kim Meylemans competing at the World Cup race in Altenberg © PHOTO Eibner-Pressefoto/Michael Memmler/PICTURE ALLIANCE PHOTO (DPA)
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