ISLAND athlete, Kim Murray, has been deselected from the British Skeleton team.

In January of this year, Kim, of Binstead, broke a four-year-old track record on her way to a top eight finish in the women’s World Cup skeleton in the Austrian Tyrol, but is now making a transition out of elite sport.

“In March, British Skeleton deselected me from the team, calling time on my dream of being an Olympian,” said Kim.

“They said I wasn’t good enough to win a medal in Beijing 2022.

“I disagree, however, being that I failed my push target, I didn’t have any grounds to argue.

“The rule states if you don’t hit a target, you can be deselected ­— welcome to elite sport.”

The 31-year-old Islander won gold at the Inter-Continental Cup (ICC) in January when she finished joint first with American racer, Katie Uhlaender, in Lake Placid.

Many believed such an achievement had put her in the frame for a possible dream place in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics team, and Kim was later named in the British squad for the World Championships in February.

“It’s been an incredibly tough four months, exacerbated by lockdown,” said Kim.

“A huge reality check, a lot of anger and a massive sense of loss.

“I miss my training partners, training, and the wider team every day.

“I grieve for the loss my dream ­— I hate being so powerless.

“I’ve been dropped from a team that was like a family, and it’s been very lonely.

“I am so grateful to be healthy, I’m aware what a huge privilege that is, and for the love and support of my family and friends.

“I hope to share more about my transition out of elite sport in the future.”