Leon Greenwood has declared his intention to return to the Olympic stage after making his debut at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games. The 28-year-old from Batley was part of the British four-man bobsleigh team, which finished seventh overall, missing out on a medal following two challenging runs on the track.
From Athletics Track to Bobsleigh Track
Greenwood, originally a sprinter with a personal best of 11.10 seconds in the 100 metres, transitioned to bobsleigh after an ankle injury curtailed his athletics career. Now, he hopes his Olympic journey can inspire more sprinters to explore winter sports. "I'm four years in, so I will definitely be back here," Greenwood stated. "These guys have been to two or three Olympics so are oldies. But definitely for myself, I'd like to aim for the next Olympics."
A Promising Debut Despite Medal Miss
Competing alongside teammates Brad Hall, Greg Cackett, and Taylor Lawrence, Greenwood experienced a consistent Olympic cycle that included podium finishes at world, European, and World Cup events. Although the seventh-place result was not what the team had targeted, Greenwood expressed pride in their performance. Notably, he achieved the second-fastest start time of the entire Games, clocking 4.78 seconds over approximately 50 metres, showcasing the speed crucial to bobsleigh success.
Greenwood emphasised the depth of the British bobsleigh programme, saying, "It just shows that there is so much depth in our programme. Hopefully now we can show with a top two start in the world, more people are going to get involved and we'll get some more fast guys into the programme."
Unexpected Olympic Bow and Future Plans
Greenwood's Olympic debut came earlier than planned when he was substituted in for Lawrence during the final two heats of the two-man event, where he finished 12th. After joining the elite bobsleigh programme in 2022, he has thrived in a sport that leverages his sprinting background. Looking ahead, Greenwood plans to enjoy a summer break in Greece with his family before refocusing on his ambition to compete in the next Olympics in four years' time.
The British bobsleigh quartet spends much of the year travelling together, making the time off a welcome respite. Reflecting on the team dynamic, Lawrence humorously remarked, "I'm super grateful to be on this journey with these three idiots." Greenwood's enthusiasm for future Olympic action remains undimmed, as he eagerly anticipates another chance to compete alongside his teammates on the world stage.
