GB Bobsleigh athlete, Leon Greenwood reflects on medal rich season
Newbury’s Leon Greenwood has set his sights on Olympic bobsleigh glory.
After a stunning start to the 2024/2025 season which included a silver World Cup medal in Igls in January, Great Britain’s star truly came into his own.
Greenwood, a former sprinter and Team Kennet sprint coach, has cemented his place as a key brakeman in Brad Hall’s four-man crew, helping propel the team to one of their most successful periods on the world and European stage.
The exceptional run of form began almost immediately after this Igls silver, with the GB four-man crew- featuring Hall, Taylor, Arran Gulliver, and Leon Greenwood- storming to World Cup in St. Moritz later in January.
Reflecting on the silver medal that kicked off a rich vein of form, he said, “It felt like a gold medal because my family came out and saw me compete for the first time.”
The GB team then travelled to St. Moritz shortly after to bring back gold, this gold medal was Britain’s second four-man World Cup gold of the 2024/2025 season.
Greenwood and his team knew just what they needed to do to get it over the line.
“It was a long season, it’s been 5 months away so it was ‘let’s get down and just do what we normally do and let’s get down healthy’ because the world championships was going to be a few weeks later.”
The crew went on to win a Bronze crystal globe for their time at the world championships, which has just recently been bumped up to a silver crystal globe.
The momentum continued into February at the World Cup in Lillehammer, Norway, which also doubled as the European Championships.
Here, Greenwood and his crew secured another podium finish, claiming a Bronze Medal.
This result also counted as a World Cup bronze medal at the same venue.
The season finale in Lillehammer brought yet more success, as the GB four-man crew won bronze again in their World Cup race.
This vital result secured a huge achievement for the team and for Greenwood: the Overall IBSF World Cup bronze in four-man competition.
This double bronze finish- in the final race and the overall standings- solidified their position amongst the best in the sport.
The team finished with six medals from seven four-man races in the season.
Following this hugely successful World Cup campaign, the team’s focus has shifted firmly toward the next major goal, Greenwood said, “We are coming into the Olympic season feeling confident.
We just need to execute at the right time, because even if you win a medal a week before, it doesn’t secure your medal that week.”
“It will be my first Olympics so you know, a lot of pressure.
Everyone will bring their A-game, we just need to bring our A*-game,” he said, that’s the true words of a future Olympian.
I asked him about the biggest strength he brings to the team, and his answer left no mystery as to why he is competing at the highest level.
“What I bring unique to the team is that I’m the hype-man, I’m the motivator. I’m the loudest on the team, if we are down or someone is feeling upset because they miss their family, I’ll do my best to bring them round.
Everyone needs to be strong and fast, that’s everyone, but I bring that to the team.”
Greenwood has his team’s exceptional form and medal haul in early 2025 has firmly positioned the British team as serious contenders for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina.
“We can definitely compete, when we are getting gold medals, when we are on the podium every week, it kind of shows that we’ve got speed, we’ve got depth, even with our equipment which is not as good as the Germans, we are still competing and we can beat them.”
Team’s with strong technical skills are always going to compete, but what really separates the competitors to the podium placers, is that teamwork mentality.
Greenwood explained the difference between the technical parts of bobsleigh and the trust that is needed in this sport.
“The team spent all summer working all these technical parts so then when we get on the ice, it becomes second nature.
“We all trust each other, it’s not even a question to be honest, we spend so much time together, we are like a brotherhood.”
Life off the track and away from the training is also very important to him, I asked what his goals and ambitions were and his answer was nothing short of motivating:
“I want to inspire as many kids as possible, in 2024/25 I inspired around 30,000 students through schools talks and workshops.
I want to use my platform in a positive way…that’s my job.”
Athletes always have that little something that brings them out of bed every morning and gives them a reason to do what they do, Greenwoods is his family.
“Without my partner, without her support I wouldn’t be able to do any of this.”
Leon will be aiming to make his Olympic debut next year, and I for sure will be cheering him on.
