SKELETON: John Farrow has put down his fastest time at the Sanki Sliding Centre in the fourth and final run, to finish in 17th place on Olympic debut.

Despite a Games build-up that was more rehabilitation than preparation for over two years he has produced the best result by an Australian male at the Games. And is excited by what he can achieve in four years time at PyeongChang 2018.

“We’ve had some good men who’ve been trailblazers in Skeleton,” Farrow said after his super performance.

“Sean Boyle was the first in Torino in 22nd and Anthony Deane who I’m really good friends with was 23rd in Vancouver. To be able to bump that up by a good few places for Australia is great. I’m really happy with that, I’m over the moon and it sets me up for another four years.”

Farrow needed a strong 3rd run to ensure he was in the top 20 and got to complete run 4. He maintained his 19th spot with a 57.75 seconds run. With the pressure off to make the top 20 he slid considerably faster in run 4. He reached 128.5 km/hr and his time of 57.35s was the 16th fastest when the medals were on the line.

“I’m happy I put that run down and happy with the result.

“With Olympic nerves and wanting that top 20 I was a bit tense on the first 3 runs and then once that pressure was off it showed. I think I was four tenths quicker than I normally am and if I’d been able to bring that for all four then who knows what could have happened.”

He moved up two places and finished 6.38 seconds off gold and 3.41s off bronze over the accumulative times from four runs.

The 31-year-old was in the gold medal position for two sliders as he waved an Australian flag and enjoyed the moment with his mum watching in the front row, behind another Australian flag and draped in a gold scarf.

The fantastic Olympic experience and uplifting atmosphere seemed like an unrealistic dream for so long. In 2011, only two years after starting the sport, he suffered a debilitating injury in a training accident off the sled. He required multiple surgeries so he could walk again. He was told he would not sprint again and without being able to propel himself during the critical start phase his sliding career seemed over.

However constant rehabilitation and incredible determination over months and months meant he could walk again and then ultimately run with a foot brace. Only this season has he stopped competing with the aid.

“Ever since the injury it’s just been rehab rehab rehab so I haven’t been able to develop any power or strength or technique until just the start of this year. Now I’m going to take a month off to let my body recover from this long season then I’m going to hit it full steam ahead for the next four years.

“If I can get my start back and relax on those slides, I’ve proved out there tonight that I can do it and we can go for medals in Korea. That’s the goal.”

Farrow was lifted by having his mum in the crowd and he acknowledged the three men who had helped him produce the fantastic result and fulfil his Olympic dream in Sochi.

Strength and conditioning coach John Marsden from the NSW Institute of Sport ‘who never stopped believing in me’. Australian Team Skeleton Coach Dale Chapman who was thrilled with the result and trackside in Sochi and back in Sydney his sprint coach in Ron Bendall who has been with him since 2008, during his attempt to qualify for Vancouver and the tough journey since 2011.

Farrow also said it was the camaraderie between all the competitors that made him love the sport and kept him going.

Anyone who has watched skeleton on TV would think these athletes are a little bit crazy to fly head first down an icy track at such speed. To go and see it live is mind-blowing and you realise TV doesn’t do the speed justice.

Hometown hero Alexander Tretiakov improved from his bronze in 2010 to take the gold to the delight of the roaring crowd. Latvian Martins Dukurs claimed his second Olympic silver and American Matthew Antoine slide to bronze ahead of Thomas Dukurs (LAT) in fourth. American John Daley was fourth before the final run but made a mistake at the start which cost him his whole run and he dropped back to twelfth.

The Skeleton competition is now concluded at the Games and the track will host the Bobsleigh events from Sunday.