REDDITCH speed-skater Charlotte Gilmartin completed her preparations for the Winter Olympics in Sochi by winning relay silver at the European Championships in Germany.
She was part of the 3,000-metre quartet which reached the final and finished just behind the Netherlands in Dresden.
Gilmartin also shone in the 1,500 metre, producing a time close to her best in the semi-final against Vancouver 2010 medallist Arianna Fontana of Italy, and finished 12th overall having placed fourth in the semi-final.
The 23-year-old said: “I’m pretty happy with my performance because that was around the third fastest time I’ve ever skated in competition and I still felt I had more in the tank.
“I couldn’t quite get around the other girls in the closing stages, but I’m pleased that I’m skating times like that now when we are not quite at our peak.”
Gilmartin and her fellow Olympic squad mates were kitted out for their Sochi challenge at the Adidas warehouse in Stockport. The Games start on February 7.
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