AMY Williams stayed as ice cool on the podium as she did on the track – her stiff upper lip never quivering in the very best British traditions.

But Williams admitted she was still in dreamland following her stunning skeleton Olympic gold.

Her cheering squad, which included five-time Olympic champion Sir Steve Redgrave and tycoon Sir Richard Branson, partied long and hard into the night following the British sliders victory.

Exhausted, she just went straight to bed – although with the medal finally hanging around her neck, she insisted it was time to let her hair down.

“I know it’s boring but after I won I was just so tired,” she added.

“By all accounts my team went out and celebrated hard for me but I just wanted to go to bed and sleep.

“I’ve put some much on hold to achieve this ambition, I’ve not been out and I’ve not given my friends enough attention.

“To be honest I’ve become a bit of a bore but I can celebrate now.”

Williams’s victory ended a three decade long wait for an individual Winter Olympic champion.

She is also the first woman to win an individual title at the Winter Games since figure skater Jeanette Altwegg 58 years ago.

She is now expected to cashin on big money sponsorship deals when she returns home, while team insiders predict she will carry the flag in next week’s closing ceremony.

Olympics minister Tessa Jowell is also expected to recommend that the 27-year old receives recognition in the Queen’s next honours’ list and while she has also been installed as favourite for this year’s BBC Sports Personality Award.

“I’m just so happy to finally get the medal in my hands and hold it – it’s been a long wait,” said Williams, who received her gold 24 hours after her shock victory.

“I was so nervous, my legs were shaking. It’s still not hit me, even when I was up there hearing the national anthem, it’s still a bit of a dream.”

“I didn’t cry but I blubbed earlier when I saw my brother and sister back in the pub, back home.”

Millions stayed up into the small hours of Saturday morning to watch Williams complete a 90mph sleigh ride into history.

“I’ve got so many messages, emails and texts to respond to, I think I’ll be there for a month,” she added.

“It’s amazing to think people stayed up to watch. It just shows you how excited people get about the Olympics and why being an Olympic champion is the absolute ultimate.”

But hopes for other British medals are hanging in the balance.

Great Britain’s women’s curlers – led by youthful skip Eve Muirhead – slipped to another defeat yesterday, losing 10-6 to two-time Olympic silver medallist Mirjam Ott, of Switzerland.

Muirhead’s rink have now played seven and lost four, meaning they must win their remaining two matches and hope other results go their way.

Despite being world champions, David Murdoch’s men’s team are also struggling while short track speed skating medal hope, Elise Christie, failed to progress through the first round of the women’s 1500m.

■ Lloyds TSB, proud partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and supporter of Team GB on their journey to Vancouver 2010.

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