Winter Olympics 2010: Amy Williamss moment of triumph soured by helmet protest

By Simon Hart in Whistler Published: 9:09PM GMT twenty February 2010

If the top fits: Amy Williams steel sheet has come underneath inspection by losing Canadian group Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Williams, who had never won a top-flight structure of the body foe before, constructed the opening of her hold up to win by 0.32sec - a outrageous domain in a foe where lectern places are mostly motionless by hundredths of a second.

But the twenty-seven year-old from Bath afterwards had to continue a four-hour wait for prior to her feat was reliable after the Canadian group lodged an central criticism about the small ridges on her helmet, that they claimed aided air flow.

"Amy who?" slides in to story "It all came together on the right day" Amy Williams: how I won bullion Olympic appropriation pays off First Winter Olympic bullion in thirty years Amy Williams form

It was the second criticism in unbroken days after the United States group had filed a identical complaint, deserted by the foe jury, following the opening dual runs.

Canadas created objection, that is accepted to have been some-more minute than the American protest, was additionally incited down by the jury, though Williams was left in dilapidation until the outcome was voiced after the mens structure of the body competition.

Williams indicted the Canadians of being encouraged by their own beating after home prime Mellisa Hollingsworth, the World Cup champion, had a catastrophic last run to finish fifth and left the lane in tears.

"They are patently unhappy and theyve got to find something to move alternative people down," she said. "It doesnt warn me. As shortly as someone is quick, people wish to move them down.

"I wasnt disturbed about it. My helmet, my runners and my sled had all been checked by the jury, only similar to everybody elses. Everybody likes to fool around head-games but I was assured in myself. Having great form and great steers - thats whats going to have you discerning down the track."

It was not the initial time that the Canadians have indicted opposition athletes of perplexing to benefit an bootleg technological advantage. In the rave to the Games, Canadian slider Jeff Pain claimed the German group were utilizing captivating components in their sleds.

His remarks were discharged by the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation, who pronounced all apparatus was legalised continually on the World Cup circuit to safeguard it was inside of the rules.

Williams insisted there was zero bootleg about her helmet, that was made to order for the Olympics.

"Weve all got the same steel sheet but there are alterations that Ive had finished to mine," she said. "But they are well inside of the manners and the jury checked it and authorized it."

Williams was due to be presented with her bullion award early this sunrise - the initial particular Winter Olympic bullion won by a Briton given skater Robin Cousins in Lake Placid thirty years ago.

She led the foe from begin to finish, environment lane annals on her initial and third runs. German sliders Kerstin Szymkowiak and Anja Huber took china and bronze whilst Britains Shelley Rudman, the china medallist in Turin 4 years ago, was sixth.

Williams certified she was struggling to sense the stroke of her achievement: "I feel similar to Im in a small burble and Im not utterly certain whats unequivocally happening," she said.

Asked either she was seeking brazen to her new high-profile hold up as an Olympic champion, she replied: "Ill welcome it all."