SHELLEY Rudman is looking forward to dropping her new celebrity status in return for re-focusing on her dream of gold in Vancouver 2010.

The Swindon-born slider stole the hearts of a nation in February when she won skeleton bobsleigh Olympic silver in Turin and life has never been the same since.

A string of TV appearances, school visits and even a spot on BBC's A Question of Sport have engulfed her life since, but with the new season just months away, Rudman is determined to get back to the hard work.

She said: "I start training again next week and to be honest I am looking forward to getting back to what I do best.

"Since winning silver my life has been more hectic than ever before but from next week, my training is going to be a priority again.

"I have never commuted so much to London as I have over the last couple of months and it does take it out of you.

"I have had so many requests from people and while you want to please everyone, from now I am going to have to start turning a lot down."

In between living her new-found celebrity lifestyle, Pewsey's Rudman managed a break in Thailand and Malaysia, three weeks she enjoyed more than ever.

"It was just what I needed," she said. "It was great to get away from everything and just chill out for a while."

The 24-year-old former New College Student starts her World Cup series in October, but she hopes this season she will able to enjoy herself more than she has over the past couple of years.

She said: "This season should be a bit more relaxing.

"The last two were obviously very stressful because it was Olympic year, I don't have that this year.

"It is still very important for me, don't get me wrong, but there is no doubt I will be able to relax a bit more.

"I am taking it in two-year cycles and I am not going to say I am definitely going to Vancouver because a lot can happen between now and then.

"That is the aim and gold is the dream but I have an awful lot of work to do in between."