Matt Weston leads the men's skeleton at the halfway stage of the competition at the Winter Olympics as he aims to win Team GB's first gold medal of the Games.
Weston set a track record at Milan-Cortina on Thursday, a 55.88s in heat two, to end with a combined time of 1:52.09 -- which is three tenths faster than his nearest rival, Germany's Axel Jungk.
Fellow Brit Marcus Wyatt is seventh, just over a second off the pace and with an outside shot of a medal.
The final two heats take place on Friday, when the medals will be decided.
Weston is a two-time world champion in skeleton, and expressed his regret that Ukraine athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych was unable to compete after being banned by the International Olympic Committee over his use of a helmet which features pictures of people killed in the war with Russia.
Weston said: "On a personal level, I'm really, really sad that he's missed out on being able to compete. I think that's gutting for anyone.
"He's been sliding really, really well in training and I think he was going to put down some good results. In terms of the political side of things, I don't really want to comment.
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"I don't really feel like I know enough information to comment. Not that I would anyway but it's more, for me, that situation is more personal and I'm sad he didn't get to race.
"I chat to him all the time and he's kind of a big personality within the circuit. We travel around week in, week out with the same people so you get to know everyone pretty well."
Information from PA was used in this report.
