She describes it as the “ultimate sport.” And if she can win Olympic gold in Vancouver this month, then it really will be the ultimate achievement for Edinburgh’s Gillian Cooke.

It was in August 2008 that Gillian, now 27, met Sheffield’s Nicola Minichiello via the social networking website, Facebook. Incredibly, a few months later and the pair were celebrating victory in the world bobsleigh championship in New York.

A year on, and the Scottish-English combination are now one of the leading lights of Team GB at the Vancouver Winter Olympics. Preparations haven’t been ideal, with Nicola having to undergo laser surgery on an eye problem. But it is little more than a hiccup for this totally dedicated duo.

“Nicola is fine and we’ve had a couple of top tens in world cup events since she came back,” said Gillian during a break from training in St Moritz. “We have done really well after such a short time together, and I absolutely adore loving everything about the sport. 

“I love the physical nature of bobsleigh. Nicola is the driver and I’m at the back and the push off at the start is so important. Then I have to help the steering process by leaning the same way as someone would on a motor cycle.”

Nicola, who was already a highly experienced bobsleigh driver, was impressed by Gillian’s athletic background, and it prompted her to make the rather innovative manner of job interview when she started her search for a new brake woman.

Gillian competed for Scotland in the long jump at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester 2002 and was back in the team in the pole vault in Melbourne four years ago.  Before joining Edinburgh Southern Harriers and becoming a dedicated athlete, she had also dabbled successfully in gymnastics and table tennis.

“But bobsleigh is much more exciting,” continued the young woman who clearly thrives on the rush of adrenaline.  “Nicola had checked out a few athletes via Facebook, and she thought my background would make me a good candidate. Out of the blue, I got a message one day saying “Hi, I’m Nicola” and she asked if I fancied giving bobsleigh a try. 

“We both have the same mental approach to the sport and I think that helps to make us a great team. But for Nicola to take me on was a real leap of faith – and to win the world championship was such an incredible reward. We thought we might medal – but to win the gold was fantastic.

“I don’t think either of us could even have dreamed of winning until the moment we crossed the line.”

Gillian, a former pupil of George Watson’s College in Edinburgh, and Nicola are both full-time. “UK Sport cover all our travel and accommodation costs, and have been fantastic,” said the Scot.  “I also get help from the Scottish Institute of Sport. “

A member of the Red Sky Sports Management stable in Edinburgh, Gillian is seeking new sponsorship opportunities – and she hopes Vancouver will prove to be the perfect advertisement.

“We compete on the 24th and 25th of February at 5pm,” she said with excited anticipation. “There are four runs and they all count, so there is no room for error. We’ve had our ups and downs in the last few months, but we genuinely feel ready and don’t think we could have done any more. Now we just need four consistent runs. “   

Tony Nash and Robin Dixon won Olympic bobsleigh gold for Britain in Innsbruck in 1964 – forty-five years later and Gillian and Nicola have the same goal in their sights.

EB
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