Rising bobsleigh star Watson given finding boost

The University of Bedfordshire student, who lives in Luton, is planning to use the £1,000 funding to cover his travel costs to British Bobsleigh’s Headquarters at the University of Bath.

He said: “Competing at the 2018 Winter Olympics is the goal and receiving this funding will hopefully help me in realising that ambition.

“British Bobsleigh nominated me for the prestigious SportsAid funding, and the faith they have shown in me is a massive confidence boost.”

Watson became a brakesman in May 2012, but the former track sprinter has already worked his way into the British Bobsleigh set-up, including an appearance in January’s World Junior Championships in Germany as part of the GB four-man sled.

Past recipients of SportsAid funding include Olympic gold medal winners Sir Chris Hoy and Mo Farah.

With the 2013-14 bobsleigh campaign now at an end, Watson already has his sights set on becoming a regular fixture in British Bobsleigh’s Junior squad once the new season commences in October.

“Over the next two to three months I will be training in the gym and completing plenty of sprint drills out on the track, which is vital in helping me keep fit and focused during the close season,” he added.

“Throughout the summer period away from my studies at Bedfordshire, I will be at the University of Bath where I’ll train on the push-start track, which enables British bobsleigh athletes to hone their starts away from the ice.

“Hopefully I do enough for the coaches to select me next winter for either the North American Cup or Europa Cup, which are competitions consisting of a series of races for countries’ junior teams to gain experience in.”