WHISTLER: Amy Williams ended Britain's 30-year wait for an individual Winter Olympics gold medal when she swept to victory in the women's skeleton, shrugging off US and Canadian protests in the process.

The 27-year-old from Cambridge, who had led after two runs on Thursday, set a new track record of 53.68sec in her third run on Friday before taking gold on the fourth and final dash with a combined time of three mins 35.64sec.

This was Britain's first individual gold at a Winter Olympics since Robin Cousins won the men's figure skating title at Lake Placid in 1980 - two years before Williams was born.

"I am not very good at numbers or statistics, but I realise I am the first gold medal for a long time and I can't believe it's happening to me," she said when asked about ending Britain's lengthy wait.

"It just shows if you have the determination, anyone from any country can be good at sport and that is what the British team has done here. Thanks to everyone who has helped me get to where I am."

Having enjoyed a commanding overnight lead at the Whistler Sliding Centre, Williams was ice-cool on her fourth run.

"It was my golden achievement just to be at an Olympics," she said. "I just went for it, I knew I had prepared well and I knew I was in great form.

"It didn't feel like an Olympic Games, it just felt like a normal World Cup competition and nothing seemed to be different, just a few more people shouting.

"I can't believe it, it's great. I remember everything apart from halfway down the fourth run, then it was a bit of a blur, I can't remember much about it."

Germany's Kerstin Szymkowiak finished second at 0.56sec back with compatriot Anja Huber at 0.72sec, their country's first-ever skeleton medals.

But there was huge disappointment for Canada's Mellisa Hollingsworth who finished fifth having dropped from second at the start of her fourth and final run to end up at 0.96sec back.

Britain's Shelley Rudman, who had claimed the silver medal in Turin four years ago, finished sixth.

Williams's gold came despite formal protests from both the Canadian and United States teams over the legality of her helmet.

Both complaints were dismissed by the sport's governing body, the International Federation of Bobsleigh and Tobogganing (FIBT), who thoroughly check all the athletes' equipment.

"It doesn't surprise me, as soon as someone is quick, people want to slow them down," Williams said about the protest after winning gold.

"I wasn't worried about it, my sled, my runners and my helmet, everything had been checked by the jury and I knew I was safe.

"Everyone likes to play head games with you and I was in form, so I forgot about it almost as soon as I heard it."

Williams's victory was Britain's first of the Vancouver Games and first in any Winter Olympic discipline since a women's curling gold at Salt Lake in 2002.