Yarnold: Gold medal belongs to whole of Great Britain

Lizzy Yarnold might have delivered Winter Olympic gold in Sochi on Friday night - but her skeleton win was not first-class as far as the Royal Mail is concerned.

The Royal Mail has confirmed Yarnold will not be granted the honour of a golden postbox in her home town of Sevenoaks, Kent, despite pulling out their paintbrushes for every one of the British gold medallists at London 2012.

The Royal Mail said the tribute was a "one-off gesture" intended for British athletes who won gold in their home Olympics at London 2012.

British Olympian Lizzie Yarnold has said she her gold medal win is "just beginning to sink in".

She told ITV News her win was not just hers, but it belonged to her team, her family and the whole of Team GB and the country. She said:

"I can't wait to share it with everyone, with my nan, and my family and everyone back in the UK."

Read: Britain's Lizzy Yarnold wins gold in Sochi skeleton

British Olympian Lizzy Yarnold has tweeted her joy at claiming gold in the women's skeleton event at the Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Read: Britain's Lizzy Yarnold wins gold in Sochi skeleton

Pupils at St Michael's School in Otford, Kent joined in the celebrations for Lizzy Yarnold's gold medal win in the Sochi skeleton - although there were some nervous moments before she crossed the line.

Lizzy Yarnold was ecstatic after winning the women's skeleton event - Britain's first gold at the Sochi Winter Olympics.

Ms Yarnold was plainly delighted at her victory, and received a congratulatory kiss from her boyfriend.

Team GB curler Greg Drummond and ice dancer Nicholas Buckland have tweeted:

Read: Yarnold 'so chuffed' to win gold on Valentine's Day

Lizzy Yarnold, Britain's first gold medallist at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, has been sent "huge congratulations" by the British Skeleton association.

Read: Yarnold 'so chuffed' to win gold on Valentine's Day

Young athletes at the University of Bath sports training village reacted with joy at Lizzy Yarnold's victory in the women's skeleton - Britain's first gold of the Sochi Winter Olympics.

Celebrities and politicians have congratulated Ms Yarnold for her win, after Jenny Jones clinched Britain's first medal of the Winter games, winning bronze in the snowboard slopestyle.

Lizzy Yarnold, Britain's first gold medallist at the 2014 Sochi Games, said she was "so chuffed" to win the women's skeleton and that it was "lovely" her victory happened on Valentine's Day.

She told the BBC: "I don't think it's going to sink in for a long time...[on the fourth and last run] I was totally relaxed and enjoyed it, it was a bit of a messy run, I'm so thrilled I'm here."

"As an athlete you give up so much but on a day like today, it's so worth it," she added.

Yarnold added that she wanted to "show the world" she was capable of winning the gold medal.