After a year of injuries, funding setbacks and rented sleds, Team Bobsleigh Brad have defied all the odds with a string of top 10 results in the World Cup campaign.
Despite being one of the slightest team’s in the competition and pushing the heaviest sled, the boys successfully bagged silver in the 2-man bobsleigh – Britain’s first ever medal in this sport!
With two rookies competing for the first time ever in the 4-man, they have shocked the sporting world by finishing in the top 10.
We took 10 minutes out of Team Captain Brad Hall’s busy training schedule to catch up with him and find out a bit more about the ‘man behind the sled’.
How did you get into Bobsleigh?
I went through a UK sport Talent TD programme and originally started in skeleton however, after spending more time on the ice than on my sled I decided it wasn’t the sport for me!
I first gave Bobsleigh a go on a trip to Liillehammer in 2011 and immediately realised I had found my passion & niche. I spent 2 seasons as brakeman before taking the pilot’s seat in 2014.
What is your greatest achievement to date?
Coming 4th in the World Champs last year in a rented sled is definitely up there! We had suffered such a massive blow with UK Sports’ funding decision but we refused to give up. Having our hard work and tenacity pay off by finishing 4th with the best 2-man finish Great Britain had seen in 53 years, was priceless!
Picking up Britain’s first-ever medal in the 2-man bobsleigh with silver in the World Cup campaign last month is certainly a close second.
What qualities make a good Bobsleigh Captain?
- Positivity
- Perseverance
- Resilience
- The ability to ‘bounce back’
- Leadership
- Humour
Bobsleigh is a tough and gruelling sport so it is important to make sure I always lead by example and remain positive. After defeats, it is crucial that I am able to dust myself off, pick my team up and focus on the next challenge.
How important is sponsorship to you and the team?
It is massively important! If we did not have the support and funding from our sponsors, we would not be doing what we are doing and achieving historic results!
We are so grateful for our sponsor’s confidence, faith and generosity and we strive to continue to make them proud.
Who is your greatest sporting hero?
My dad. He is my inspiration and the first person to introduce me to sport when I was younger. I first played county level rugby, which is where my love of sport began. I have my dad to thank for making me the happy and dedicated sportsman I am today.
Medigold Health & Team Bobsleigh Brad, the journey so far…
In early 2019, UK Sport withdrew funding for the GB Bobsleigh programme, leaving British Bobsleigh Pilot, Brad Hall, and his team’s future uncertain.
Determined to remain in the game, resilient Brad started a crowdfunding campaign to help raise the necessary funds to hire a two-man sled for March’s Championships in Canada.
Medigold Health’s CEO, Alex Goldsmith, first heard of the team’s turmoil after reading an article on BBC Sport and made contact with Brad to offer the team sponsorship towards renting the two-man sled to allow the team to be contenders at the World Championships.
Brad and the team went on to do us all proud, finishing 4th with the best two-man finish Great Britain has seen in 53 years!
Medigold Health is proud to be sponsoring Team Bobsleigh Brad on their journey through to Beijing 2022.
