Yarnold had won gold at the Sochi Winter Olympics and earned the World Cup title in 2014 before taking the European one last month, with the world crown the one honour to have previously eluded the Bath-based slider.

The 26-year-old began the second day of competition in pole position, with her combined time of 1min 55.06sec from the first two runs giving her a 0.07 second advantage over Canada's Elisabeth Vathje.

Yarnold extended her advantage with a third run time of 57.47 while Vathje faltered with just the eighth fastest time.

As a consequence Yarnold's lead increased to 0.49 and as the Briton had set the fastest times on each of the three previous runs, she never looked likely to let her lead slip.

She duly sealed the world title in style, breaking her own track record last time around, with a time of 57.42 giving her a combined total of 3min 49.95.

"I can't quite take it all in - it has been absolutely amazing," the winner said afterwards.

Germanys national champion Jacqueline Loelling delighted the home crowd with silver ©Bongarts/Getty Images



"It has been a lot of hard work and it's been a struggle at times and I couldn't have done it without my team and all my support, I'm not here by myself, but I am so pleased I can say I'm world champion as well as Olympic champion and European champion.

"It's all I ever wanted."

Germany's Jacqueline Loelling took silver in 3:50.62 on the same track that saw her become German champion earlier this year.

Canada's Vathje was able to round off the medals table, as she secured bronze in 3:50.74, ahead of her team mate Jane Channell.

Elsewhere today, Latvia lead at the halfway point of the four-man bobsleigh competition, with a slender lead over three German teams ahead of the final two runs tomorrow.

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