Greg Rutherford – Photo Credit: Flickr

Former long jump champion, Greg Rutherford of Britain has been selected for the GB bobsleigh squad that will attempt to qualify for Beijing 2022. It has always been his dream of becoming the first British athlete to win a medal at a summer and winter Olympics. 

Rutherford received the news after excelling in a series of tests at British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association headquarters in Bath. The 34-year old is now training for his first event in Igls, Austria in seven weeks’ time.

“There were a few doubters when I said I wanted to make the Winter Olympics in April but I always back and believe in myself and I am absolutely delighted to have been selected,” said Rutherford, who won long jump gold at London 2012 and bronze in Rio 2016 before retiring in 2018. “I am extremely confident we can qualify for Beijing and go on to achieve something very special.”

To make the squad, Rutherford went through a series of timed tests earlier this month which involved pushing a heavy sled using each of its four handles as fast as possible.

He has been put in double Olympic bobsleigh driver Lamin Deen’s five-man team, alongside sub-10 sprinter and 2014 Winter Olympics bronze medallist Joel Fearon, Ben Simons and Toby Olubi. The group will attempt to qualify for Beijing in the two and four-man events with Rutherford earmarked for the four-man bob.

In order to qualify, the GB sleds will have to come in the top 12 in three of the seven qualifying events that conclude with the European Championships in San Moritz in January. However, Rutherford believes that should be a formality given Deen has already raced in two Olympics and also recently acquired a fast new sled to replace his 15-year-old model.