Vicky Williamson reveals her journey from a cycling horror crash that ended hopes of Rio 2016 to pursuing the podium with the Bobsleigh team at the Winter Olympics
Monday 17 February 2020 09:40, UK
Great Britain's Vicky Williamson has set lofty ambitions for the Winter Olympics in 2022, months after making the decision to switch from cycling, as she tells Sky Sports News' Rob Jones.
Williamson is still in the learning stage of her bobsleigh career but already the ambition is clear: "I'm not here to finish 10th," is the typically optimistic aim of an athlete produced in British cycling's medal factory.
She was close to being part of the cycling team for Rio 2016 before a horror crash that left her with a broken back, neck and a fractured pelvis.
Even after a prolonged rehab period, her back pain resurfaced at the wrong moment and a place in Tokyo 2020 was also effectively ruled out by British Cycling.
At that point, the former World Championship bronze medallist looked for other opportunities to pursue her Olympic dream and an unlikely chance arose.
Mica McNeill was looking for a new partner in the two-woman bobsleigh and after impressing at trials, Williamson emerged as one of the best options to do so.
The pair have already posted two top-10 finishes at World Cup events in December 2019.
To get an Olympic medal would complete an incredible comeback, Cool Runnings plus another couple of levels.
"I'm not just one of those athletes to say I'm here because I represent GB," Williamson told Sky Sports News.
"I'm here because I want to be in that top percentage and be the best at what I want to do - it's definitely going to be a difficult task but I reckon I can do it, I reckon this will be the Olympics where we can definitely the medals back.
"I want to let the performance do the talking we've got two years to slicken up and get the team running really well.
"I think physically everyone will come on as well and given the timeframe it's a good chunk of time, at the World Cups we've been in the top 10 so if we can improve on that next season and the season after then we'll be up there."
Williamson is part of the two-woman group that will head to Germany for the World Championships in a sled driven by McNeill, who represented Great Britain at the last Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.
McNeill and team-mate Montel Williams, a former athlete, finished 12th at the 2019 World Championships in Whistler, with Germany taking gold and silver.
