When injury dashed her hopes of competing at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, 34-year-old Ashleigh Nelson, a veteran British sprinter, wondered if her elite sporting career was drawing to a close. But an unexpected message on Instagram ignited a fresh ambition, steering her toward a new Olympic journey on the ice.
Nelson has now been officially selected as the brakewoman for Adelé Nicoll in the two-woman bobsleigh team representing Great Britain at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
Her transition from summer track star to winter bobsleigh competitor began with an invitation from fellow athlete-turned-pilot Adelé Nicoll. “People have slid into my DMs before, but this time it felt different,” Nelson recalled with a smile. “Adelé asked if I’d considered bobsleigh, saying I had the ‘ticks’—strong, fast, and powerful.”
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A trial at the University of Bath’s specialized push-start facility—the only one of its kind in the UK—proved Nelson’s natural aptitude for the sport. By early 2025, she made her international bobsleigh debut in Winterberg, Germany.
Nelson brings a wealth of high-pressure competition experience to the ice. Her impressive track record includes:
- Competing at two Summer Olympics (Beijing 2008 and Tokyo 2020)
- Winning World Championship silver and bronze medals in the 4x100m relay
- Being crowned European Champion in the 4x100m relay (2014)
- Securing Commonwealth gold at Birmingham 2022
Competing in Cortina next winter, Nelson joins an elite group of British athletes, such as Montell Douglas, who have represented Team GB in both Summer and Winter Games.
Switching from sprinting 100 meters on a sun-drenched track to pushing a 250kg bobsled on ice is a formidable challenge. Nelson has honed her explosive start at the University of Bath, recently achieving a solo push time of 6.24 seconds—a feat she described as “exhilarating.”
Training in Bath’s cutting-edge facilities has been critical to Nelson’s swift ascent in the sport. Despite only competing in three major bobsleigh events before her Olympic selection, including the 2025 World Championships, she has quickly become an invaluable member of “Team Nicoll.”
Athletic talent runs deep in Nelson’s family. Her brother, Alexander Nelson, was also an international sprinter who shared the track with her at the Beijing 2008 Games. Her cousin, Curtis Nelson, is a professional footballer currently playing for Derby County.
At a recent kit ceremony in Bath, Nelson and her teammates were celebrated as part of the “unbreakable chain” driving British sliding sports forward. For Nelson, this new chapter is more than personal achievement—it’s an opportunity to embrace fresh challenges and inspire others.
“At this point in my career, I’m happy to share my success with other strong women,” Nelson said. She will bring that spirit to Cortina on February 20th, where she and Adelé Nicoll will race against the best in the world.