Campbell, part of the British quartet which won the 4x100 metres relay gold medal at Athens 2004, heaped praise on the 27-year-old for excelling in winter sport, which her country often struggles in.

Yarnold shot to fame when she marked her Olympic debut by winning the skeleton title in the Russian city two years' ago and Campbell can see her continuing her dominance of the sport in future.

“If you look at what Lizzy has achieved, it’s ridiculous, and that’s why she has gained the attention that she deserves,” he said.

“We’re not a nation that traditionally excel in winter sports.

“And practice is what brings the confidence: when you’re on that line and it’s your moment and your heart’s beating and wants to leave your chest, you have to trust in what you’ve done before.”

Yarnold, who has recently taken time away from the track, was also described as having a “phenomenal” story by fellow Olympic champion, boxer Anthony Joshua, the world heavyweight champion.

The Bath-based slider had monopolised the women’s skeleton before opting for a spell on the sidelines after she completed her career grand slam by sealing the gold medal at the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation World Championships in Winterberg, Germany in March 2015.

“She’s got a proven track record at what she does,” Joshua said.

“At the end of the day, the fundamentals are discipline and dedication.”

The trio are three of the main British sportspeople involved in the #DiscoverYourGold talent identification initiative, launched last month.

The programme is targeted at 15 to 24-year-olds who could be fast-tracked to the international sporting stage.

It is the result of a partnership between UK Sport, Britain’s high-performance agency, the English Institute of Sport  and a range of National Governing Bodies.

“Without this kind of talent identification, Lizzy’s success probably doesn’t happen,” Campbell, a three-time European champion, said. 

“We’re all built differently but it’s easy to get pigeonholed into a certain sport.”