LAURA Deas has confirmed her desire to compete for a second Winter Olympics medal as she prepares to start the new skeleton season.

Wiltshire-based slider Deas claimed bronze at the PyeongChang Games last February – as TeamGB team-mate Lizzy Yarnold won gold – and has now set her sights on a place at Beijing 2022.

Deas, who was born in Wales but lives in Chippenham, takes the next step on that cycle this weekend at the start of the 2019-20 World Cup campaign at Lake Placid in New York State.

After solely focussing on renewing her love of skeleton last season, Deas says that a less-intense approach has fuelled her determination to make it back to the pinnacle of winter sports in just over two years’ time.

“Coming back after the Olympics, people have different goals,” said the 31-year-old.

“Some people are looking to take some time out and some people are cracking on.

“For me, it was about coming back and enjoying the sport for the joy of sliding rather than any other bigger goals. That is how I approached last season.

“What it taught me is that I do better when I have a long-term goal and I really commit to something.

“That has helped me make the decision to really go for Beijing, and that is going to be my long-term goal and I am going to commit to that properly.

“I think that has fed into this being such a good summer of training as I have had that renewed motivation.

“Everyone on the team is now looking to Beijing, it’s really not that far away.”

Step one on the road to Beijing 2022 is this weekend’s World Cup opener at Lake Placid.

After a strong summer off the ice, Deas is hungry to dive back into the competitive schedule and is aiming high for the trip across the Atlantic.

“I always want to win. I want to be on that podium,” said Deas.

“And there are some new things that have come in this season too. There are rule changes in the sport, and I have got a new sliding coach as well.

“We are still learning about each other but that doesn’t mean we can’t go out and put in a really strong performance from the word go. That is what I will be looking to do.

“I feel in a really good place. It has been a very good summer for my training, I have been able to be really consistent and have put in the hours and the quality of training in the gym.

“I think that has gone well, so physically I am ready to go. And mentally, I am really excited and ready to get going again.”