Derbyshire duo miss out on medals at Olympic Winter Games

25 February 2010

Derbyshire athlete Nicola Minichiello has been left disappointed at the Olympic Winter Games after she and partner Gillian Cooke crashed out of the women's bobsleigh on their third run.

Nicola, the 2009 University of Derby Sportsperson of the Year, and Gillian went into the final two runs in 10th place, and knew they had to give it everything to have any chance of making the podium.

But their hopes ended when they crashed on their third run and they were unable to start their fourth run because of a leg injury sustained by Gillian and damage to the sled.

Nicola said: “We knew we really had to go for it and we threw everything into that run. We still believed we could do it. Unfortunately it didn't pay off.

"We're devastated by what happened, because so much of our focus has been on these Games.

"It's a tough track, but that's no excuse because it's the same for everyone.”

The Vancouver Games were Nicola’s third Olympic Games, and she had been widely tipped to win a medal after winning the World Bobsleigh Championships in Lake Placid last year, becoming the first British driver to win in more than 45 years and the first British woman to win the event in the history of the sport.

The 31-year-old grew up in Derbyshire and is currently based in Renishaw in the north of the county. Before taking up bobsleigh she competed internationally as a heptathlete.

Earlier in the Games Derbyshire’s Ellie Koyander competed in her first Olympics in moguls, a form of freestyle skiing involving fast technical skiing and aerial jumps that are scored on timing and difficulty.

The 18-year-old is one of the youngest members of Team GB and completed a clean run to finish the competition in 24th place, narrowly missing out on her target of a place in the final.

Ellie said: “To ski in the Olympics and to now call myself an Olympian is just amazing. I’ve just learnt so much coming here, it’s the biggest crowd I’ve ever skied in front of and to really stay focused in the Games has been a great experience.”

Ellie, who was named University of Derby Junior Sportswoman of the Year at the 2008 Derbyshire Sports Awards, is now aiming for a podium position in four years time in Sochi, Russia.

Bookmark with: (what's this?)