Kent's Lizzy Yarnold will be carrying the flag at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics tomorrow.

The defending women's skeleton champion, who is from West Kingsdown, will lead Team GB's 59 athletes into the PyeongChang Olympic Stadium.

This is the second time Yarnold, a former pupil at Maidstone Grammar School for Girls, will be Flagbearer for Team TB, having done the job at the closing ceremony at Sochi in 2014.

She said: "My first reaction when I was asked to be Flagbearer was complete excitement and I’m really proud to march in front of the whole team.

"There are so many talented athletes competing here for Team GB at this Olympic Games and hopefully this can be the start of our most successful ever Winter Olympics.

"This could be the start of something really special and I hope the other athletes aren’t too far behind me as we’re very much one team going into these Games.”

The 29-year-old hopes to become the first British Winter Olympian to retain her Olympic crown.

Mike Hay, Team GB Chef de Mission for PyeongChang 2018, said: “As a defending champion and model athlete, Lizzy is the ideal choice to lead Team GB into the Olympic Stadium tomorrow evening.

"She has achieved so much in skeleton over the last four years and I’m sure this will be another proud moment for one of our finest winter athletes.

"For the rest of the delegation, to follow behind an Olympic champion into the Opening Ceremony will no doubt be great boost for what we hope will be a successful and memorable Games for Team GB.”