Gillian Cooke has moved one step closer to realising her 2010 Winter Olympic dream after being officially announced as Nicola Minichiello’s brakewoman for the upcoming World Cup season.

The 27-year-old long jumper-turned-bobsleigh ace was put through her paces at track trials in Bath and more recently Germany in bid to prove her worth.

And Cooke passed with flying colours coming out on top twice on home soil and in Oberhauf winning the right to partner Minichiello again.

Cooke won World Championship gold with driver Minichiello in February and admitted her ambitions to compete at the Commonwealth Games and the Winter Olympics next year have been well and truly put on hold.

“When we went and won the World title everything changed – now we're Olympic medal hopes and, if I broke a leg long jumping, I wouldn't be very popular,” said Cooke.

“My technique is a lot better, my running is good and I've been lifting personal bests in the weights room.

“Last year I was a skinny little person who changed the mindset and proved that slightly smaller people can be good at the back.

“You've got to be heavy enough to help the sleigh get to the bottom and light enough to be fast on the track.”