Australia's Jaclyn Narracott has won a superb silver medal in the women's skeleton at the Yanqing National Sliding Centre.
The 31-year-old from Queensland finished second, behind 21-year-old German star Hannah Neise on the testing "Ice Dragon" course in Yanqing.
It is Australia's first sliding medal at a Winter Olympics.
Narracott, a former track and field athlete who started skeleton racing in 2012, only won her first World Cup Series race in mid-January this year at St Moritz – her first podium of any sort in a World Series event.
Now, she has claimed a silver medal in just her second Olympic Games against a stacked field of skeleton racers.
'I had nothing to lose'
Narracott could not stop grinning after the result was confirmed, her face barely able to contain her smile as she bounced up onto the dais before triumphantly raising her fist towards the Australian team on the balcony above her.
She then took a moment to look down at her medal, smiling and laughing to herself as if in disbelief.
"It's still so surreal," she told the Olympic Information service.
Narracott came into the final two rounds in the "unreal" position of leading the field, taking a 0.21-second advantage into Saturday's final two runs over Germany's Neise.
"I had nothing to lose," Narracott said.
"That's the most relaxed I've felt on the sled probably my whole career."
Showing no sign of any overnight nerves, she then set her best time of the competition, a track record to boot, in her opening run on Saturday to lay down a marker.
However, that lead quickly evaporated when Neise flew out of the blocks, bettering Narracott's short-lived track record by a whopping 0.35 seconds to claim a mere 0.14-second advantage with a run to go.
The penultimate slider to go in the final round, Narracott was overjoyed after moving into the provisional lead after overhauling Dutch slider Kimberley Bos's time by 0.22 seconds, covering her eyes in disbelief and embracing her coach.
"Absolute elation," Narracott said of her feelings when she crossed the line.
"A little bit of disbelief [too]."
Any thoughts of a fairytale gold evaporated though as Neise's buffer proved to be too much, with the German storming to victory by 0.62 seconds.
'Incredible journey' for Aussie slider
"Words can't describe it," Narracott said.
“We've never won a sliding sport medal, so for me to [get it is amazing].
"Creating your dream twice in two races, it doesn't get any better."
Australia's chef de mission Geoff Lipshut heaped praise on Narracott, Australia's fourth medallist at this year's Games.
"I just think it's a remarkable sporting achievement," Lipshut said.
"It is remarkable."
Australia now has four medals at this Olympics, the most it has ever won at a single Games.
Narracott is Australia's second silver medallist, joining Scott James, moguls gold medallist Jakara Anthony and snowboard slopestyle bronze medal winner Tess Coady on the honour roll.
