From Sprint to Sled: Ashleigh Nelson's Unlikely Winter Olympics Journey

Ashleigh Nelson has made a remarkable transition from the athletics track to the ice track, emerging as a contender for a bobsleigh medal at the Winter Olympics. However, this doesn't mean she particularly enjoys the experience.

An Unexpected Invitation

Nelson was never meant to compete in the Winter Olympics. Just eighteen months ago, she anticipated running the 60m at the UK Indoor Championships in Birmingham, not piloting a £75,000 bobsleigh down the world's newest ice track. "I was tricked into it," Nelson reveals with a laugh. "You might find that amusing, but it's absolutely true."

The journey began when GB bobsleigh pilot Adele Nicole sent her an Instagram message shortly after the Paris Olympics, asking if she'd consider trying the sport. Nelson admits she knew nothing about bobsleigh beforehand, having never witnessed a crash and only familiar with it through the film Cool Runnings.

A Decorated Sprinting Career Interrupted

Nelson's concept of speed was previously defined by what she could achieve on her own two feet. As one of Great Britain's most accomplished female sprinters, her accolades include:

Gold medals in the 4x100m relay at the 2014 European Championships and 2022 Commonwealth Games
Silver and bronze medals at the World Athletics Championships in 2013 and 2019
Individual medals at European, World Junior, and World Youth Championships
Selection as team captain for the 2022 European Championships in Munich

Then everything changed. "I'd had a brilliant year with no indication I would stop," Nelson explains. "Then I sustained an achilles injury." Doctors initially gave her six months to recover before deciding surgery was necessary, costing her a full year of competition and her chance at the Paris Olympics. At 32 and "ready to retire," she received Nicole's fateful message.

The Vulnerable Moment That Changed Everything

"It caught me at a vulnerable time," Nelson confesses. "I hadn't made the Olympic Games and was feeling rather sad and vulnerable. When Adele asked if I fancied bobsleigh, I thought 'maybe.' Eighteen months later, I'm at the Winter Olympics, which is somewhat bizarre."

While there's a long tradition of track athletes transitioning to bobsleigh—including Joel Fearon, James Dasaolu, Mark-Lewis Francis, and Montell Douglas—Nelson discovered it wasn't for everyone during her first training session in Lillehammer.

The Terrifying Reality of Bobsleigh

"There's no cushion. There's no seatbelt. There's no airbags," Nelson describes. "The first time I went down, I was instructed: 'Whatever happens, just hold on tight, don't let go.' When I reached the bottom, my body was in shock. I'd consumed considerable caffeine, and my nervous system was completely on edge. I simply asked: 'What was that?'"

The experience resembles being trapped in a washing machine drum while being hurled down a mountain. Despite coming from an athletic family—her brother was a sprinter, her father played for Stoke, and her cousin Curtis plays for MK Dons—this was entirely new territory.

"I called my mum afterwards and said: 'Mum, I don't think this is for me,'" Nelson recalls. "My mum responded: 'Well you've gone all the way to Norway, you're supposed to be there for two weeks, just stick it out.'" A few days later, she had her first run with Nicole as her pilot, which proved more manageable. "You still get rattled, and some tracks are worse than others, but with a driver like Adele, I know I'm safe."

Racing With Eyes Closed

Safety doesn't necessarily equate to enjoyment. Nelson cheerfully admits she races with her eyes tightly shut. "Why would I open them?" she laughs. Her primary contribution occurs in the first 50 meters, where her explosive sprinting ability proves invaluable. "I'm fast, I'm strong, I'm not just here because I've got nice hair," she asserts. "I squat 260kg."

After that initial push, "I'm in the back with my head tucked between my legs holding onto the sled! I can't see anything happening. I memorise the track and count the corners to orient myself, but when you've got your eyes closed and you're traveling at 80mph, you'll forgive me if I get somewhat disorientated." Given the year she's experienced, that understanding is certainly warranted.

As Nelson prepares for the two-woman bobsleigh competition—with official practice beginning Tuesday afternoon and the event scheduled for Friday—her journey from sprint champion to Winter Olympian stands as a testament to unexpected opportunities and athletic adaptability.