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Greenwood is sledding in the right direction as Team Kennet sprint coach part of medal winning GB bobsleigh team




Team Kennet sprint coach Leon Greenwood was part of the Great Britain bobsleigh team that won silver at the World Championships in Saint Moritz last month.

The British team clocked a combined time of 4:20.03 over four fabulous runs that saw them finish tied-second with Latvia and 0.69 seconds behind gold medallists Germany, piloted by four-time Olympic champion Francesco Friedrich.

For Greenwood, a newcomer to the sport, making it to Switzerland as part of the medal winning team has been months in the making – and it hasn’t all been smooth sledding.

Team Kennet sprint coach and Team GB bobsleigh medal winner Leon Greenwood
Team Kennet sprint coach and Team GB bobsleigh medal winner Leon Greenwood

“I tried out in July and was successful,” he said.

“Then, we went to Oberhof in Germany where we did some testing and trials on ice and I was selected for the Great British team.

“Unfortunately, I ended up breaking my toe while we were out there, so I ended up having to do rehab and missing half the season.

“I joined up with the guys in January and we’ve done really well.

“The team have been absolutely brilliant, they’ve all welcomed me with open arms and it feels like a small little family.

“When you’re out there for so long it’d be a disaster if you didn’t get along but luckily we all got on like a house on fire and they’re like my close friends now, sharing those experiences is special.”

Greenwood first got into a bobsled while he was at university in Leeds after the power and speed required to excel at the sport both attracted him and, as a competitive sprinter, made him an ideal fit.

“You need to be brave, the first time I ever went down I was very nervous,” he said.

“It’s such a unique sport, I love the adrenaline and it’s a bit of a mixture between an individual sport, in terms of doing all the trials, and a team sport, in terms of competing, which I really like.

“It’s a lot of hard work but I love the training style, the heavy lifting and the running under a load.”

Greenwood’s had to overcome a succession of challenges to make it to this point.

Two-and-a-half-years ago, he underwent an ankle operation and was told by surgeons that he’d never be able to sprint again but defied the odds thanks to the help of family, friends, specialists and his own mental toughness.

He draws on the constant support of his sprint coach Emma Hooper and osteopath Bruce Carnegie, who is based at Thatcham Natural Therapies, and has raised almost £2,000 after setting up a Go Fund Me page in September to help him finance his dreams.

“I was told I wouldn’t sprint again but after two years of rehabilitation I was back running in 2022,” he said.

“I gained a lot of mental strength and that’s helped me a lot for the bobsleigh.

“I’m not a funded athlete, I’m self-funded, so to have people supporting me, some people that I don’t even know, has been amazing.

“I don’t even know how to thank them, thank you isn’t enough, I’m so grateful.”

The iconic 1993 film Cool Runnings has become synonymous with the sport since its release and much like the famous Jamaican team, the British athletes have to contend with less-than-ideal conditions on home turf.

Greenwood and the rest of the squad train in Bath on a track that recreates the competitive environment as best as possible, but the team have to venture to cooler climbs to train on ice ahead of the season, putting them at a disadvantage when compared to many of their opponents.

Greenwood said: “It’s difficult, the sport’s not on TV and we don’t have a lot of snow and ice.

“But the sport’s definitely growing, we’ve got talent identification days where anyone can come and have a go and the set-up at Bath is great.”

Greenwood, who is a brakeman, meaning he’s the power behind the 400-pound sled, is targetting a medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.

“That’s the dream for me and all the lads,” he said.

“Everyone wants to be an Olympian, it’s been a dream ever since I was a kid and I’m going to make it happen.”



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