Great Britain’s Elise Christie will be looking to defend the four titles she won last year when she competes at the 2017 European Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Italian city Turin next week ©Getty Images

Great Britain’s Elise Christie will be looking to defend the four titles she won last year when she competes at the 2017 European Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Italian city Turin next week. 

Christie was the standout performer during the 2016 event in Sochi as she secured victory in the 1,500 metres, 1,000m and 500m competitions to claim the overall crown.

The 26-year-old Scot has started the 2016-17 season extremely brightly, winning five International Skating Union (ISU) Short Track Speed Skating World Cup gold medals.

Three of those came in her favoured 500m event, while the other two were in the 1,000m.

Christie subsequently ended last year top of the 500m world rankings and second in the 1,000m equivalent behind South Korea’s Choi Min-jeong.

She also broke a 500m world record at the ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Cup in Salt Lake City, clocking 42.335sec in the quarter-finals before crashing out of contention in the final.

Elise Christie has made a strong start to the 2016-17 season ©Getty Images
Elise Christie has made a strong start to the 2016-17 season ©Getty Images

"It’s been a really good start to the season and I’ve never, ever felt this confident in my career," Christie told The Herald Scotland.

"It’s nice to actually believe in yourself.

"Most athletes struggle with self-belief and the last few months have definitely boosted mine a lot.

"Now, I feel like I have the capability to win every race."

The event is scheduled to take place at the Torino Palavela from January 13 to 15.