Girls on the crest of a bobsleigh run

Park House students Codie Burnett, aged 17, and Annabel Chaffey, aged 15 will spend the New Year training at Ice Camp in Innsbruck-Igls, Austria with eight other young people on the six-day programme.
Miss Burnett, who was a Gamesmaker during the London games, said: “I’m thrilled and feel really privileged to have been selected by GB Bobsleigh as part of the team. I’m very excited about going to the ice camp training venue in Austria and I’m truly looking forward to the experience.”
Ice Camp is part of the Futures Programme, a scheme that offers young athletes the opportunity to train alongside professionals and help identify upcoming talent.
The pair have both overcome setbacks to be included in the program.
Having been unable to perform at a selection day in July due to injury, Miss Burnett spent the day learning as much as she could from coaches who invited her back for a second run.
And in November she outpaced her rivals to finish the day as the highest ranked sprinter.
She said: “It was amazing. I didn’t expect to be picked as there were quite a lot of people already in the programme. I’m a sprinter but I’ve done nothing like this before so it will give me an opputunity to practice running on the ice.”
Meanwhile Miss Chaffey, who was initially left out of the squad due to her age, has now had funding secured by GB Bobsleigh.
She said: “I’m very excited and looking forward to getting on the ice and future opportunities. I can’t believe this is happening.”
The school has a close association with building on the Olympic legacy and was the only academic institution to receive an ‘Inspired by 2012’ award from the Cabinet Office following last year’s games.
Headteacher Derek Peaple said: “Both Codie and Annabel are outstanding role models as both athletes and individuals. They personify the 2012 Legacy commitment to 'inspire a generation' and I am thrilled that they now have this unique opportunity to live their own Olympic dream.”