Student hoping to follow in the footsteps of Olympic champions

Skeleton is head-first tobogganing down an ice track. Athletes do a sprint start and then travel down the track on their sled at speeds of up to 80mph.

Chris, who comes from a footballing and gymnastics background, is one of a team of eight (four men and four women) who have been chosen from more than 1,000 applicants for the British Skeleton post-Sochi Power2Podium talent identification scheme. The scheme was looking for potential skeleton athletes who could compete at the 2022 Winter Olympics. It was devised by the UK Performance Pathway Team, a collaboration between UK Sport and the English Institute of Sport, and the project began in March 2014, one month after Lizzy Yarnold became Olympic champion in the sport.

Andi Schmid, overall performance adviser for British Skeleton, said: “I believe this group has what it takes and can be a very strong talent squad. The selection process is the first stage and in British Skeleton we have the track record of success in converting talent into medal winners.”

Chris, who is originally from Leeds and now lives in Harrogate, said: “It has always been a dream of mine to perform sport at a high or elite-level. I did not expect to get through the first phase of assessment – let alone the three after that!”

He was inspired watching the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics and found an application form online.

Chris, along with the other applicants, went through multiple stages of testing before reaching the final eight. These included physical tests of power, speed and flexibility and psychological testing looking at problem solving tasks, behavioural observations and memory, reasoning and concentration.

They were also involved in sport specific testing on the push track at the University of Bath, where the British Skeleton team are based, and finally at the ice track in Lillehammer, Norway. This allowed the selection team to assess criteria such as adaptability, attitude, robustness and driving skills.

He described his first slide on ice at Lillehammer as an “amazing experience”. He said: “I didn’t particularly enjoy the sport at first but this was due to the lack of control I had going down. I had never slid before so this was a new experience. But after a few more runs, with more control, I really started to take to the sport and started to progress quickly.”

Dr Stewart Laing, Head of the Performance Pathway Team, said: “We are confident that these athletes joining British Skeleton will now have the best possible chance of realising their full sporting potential. They will benefit from a full range of world class support, including outstanding coaching, sports science and medicine, and access to cutting edge technology and the very best equipment.

“These talented athletes have successfully undertaken a gruelling multi-phased assessment process exploring all aspects of their physical potential to adapt to the demands they will face in this sport. It’s a truly exciting opportunity for these athletes and for British Skeleton as they work towards the ultimate goal of winning an Olympic medal.”

Along with the seven other members of the squad, Chris is currently out practicing on different tracks across Europe for six weeks, including sites in Austria, Germany and Norway. On their return they will have week-long summer camps at Bath University once or twice a month to increase their strength and stability and their start push times.

Chris said: “Between this I will be finishing my degree. Skeleton or, as one of my friends calls it, ‘extreme sledging’, will become the main part of my life for the foreseeable future, aiming towards the 2022 Winter Olympics.

“Everyone – from my coaches, University lecturers, family and friends – has been incredibly supportive and helpful throughout the process and without their continued support I definitely would not have reached the stage I am at now.”

Chris plans to go back to teaching after his experience.