Macey calls for more funding for best of British bobsledders

By Chris Cottrell, Sportsbeat

DOUBLE Olympic decathlete and bobsleigh convert Dean Macey is adamant British pilot John James Jackson has the ability to match the best in the world if he receives sufficient funding.

CASH-STRAPPED: John Jackson and his four-man crew, pictured in action at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, would benefit from a funding boost, says Dean Macey (Getty Images)

Jackson's debut Winter Olympics in Vancouver last month was one to forget as the Brit rolled in both the two-man and four-man bobsleigh at the menacing Whistler Sliding Centre.

But while Jackson and four-man teammates Dan Money, Allyn Condon and Henry Nwume recovered to clock encouraging times of 52.24 and 52.15 seconds in their final two runs, the quartet admitted they held little hope of their limited funding rising.

Macey, who finished sixth with former Olympic sprint relay champion Jason Gardener at the British Bobsleigh Championships 12 months ago, followed Jackson's progress last season in his role as commentator for British Eurosport.

And he insists 32-year-old Jackson should be given the chance to fulfil his potential in the next Olympic cycle.

"Someone needs to bite the bullet and say, OK, this is quite a cool sport. Let's throw some cash at them and let them do what they've got to do for this next three or four years," said Macey.

"Give them a really good chance and run up at the Olympics so they aren't scraping through the summer and they can train full time.

"They don't whinge about it but it's a tough old sport - humping and dumping that bobsleigh around Europe and North America for six months of the year is tough.

"But the potential is there and certainly there's enough talent. You have to keep in mind that two or three of the top guys have pulled out, which automatically jumps us up the leaderboard for next year anyway.

"It's a small sport and we're not at the top of the tree at the moment so there's argument there to say the funding they're getting is the funding they deserve.

"But it's a vicious circle. If they don't get the funding, they don't get the pushes, they don't get the ice time and they don't get any better."

The British quartet in Vancouver was a combination of the two World Cup squads with Jackson and Nwume joined by Money and Condon, who had competed under pilot Lee Johnston for the majority of the season.

And with question marks hanging over the participation of a number of both ageing squads, the line-up for next season's British crews remains up in the air.

But Macey has backed the British men to pull through and insists Jackson has what it takes to join the British female pilots Paula Walker and world champion Nicola Minichiello pushing at the top of the world order.

"Next year's World Cup is going to be a massive for John and we'll see how he gets on. It is a transition year - getting back amongst the big boys," said Macey.

"But he's got that first Olympics out of the way now and finished on a high - almost a ‘Cool Runnings' high. He was bashed and disappointed and then came back and had a couple of decent runs, finished on all four runners and proved he's got that bit of class.

"There are a lot of changes happening in the British team and it's a work in progress but on the positive side, the girls are looking pretty good and obviously skeleton is phenomenal - it speaks for itself.

"Nicola Minichiello has shown she's got that class as well and she'll still be good for the future. And Paula Walker and Kelly Thomas are definitely ones to look out for because they've still got two years in the juniors.

"I'd love to see bobsleigh getting slightly more funding put towards it between now and Sochi and if in that time we don't deliver then do what you have to do. But at least give them the chance to compete."