Condon's last chance to press Olympic case (From Runcorn and Widnes World)

Condon's last chance to press Olympic case

11:43am Thursday 14th January 2010

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ALLYN Condon has one last chance to prove his case to represent Team GB in next month’s Winter Olympics in Canada.

Selectors are expected to settle on the four-man bobsleigh driver and crew for Vancouver after this weekend’s performances in the seventh round of the World Cup in St Moritz, Switzerland.

Sydney 2000 Olympic sprinter Condon, who hails from Runcorn, battled through a back injury to help Lee Johnston pre-qualify for the Olympics last season but recent disappointing results have handed an opportunity to competitors in both GB1 and GB2 sleds to battle it out for places.

A leg injury forced 35-year-old Condon to sit out the World Cup runs in Koenigssee, Germany, at the weekend but he is expected to be back on board in St Moritz to give his final push towards realising his dream of becoming a dual Winter-Summer Olympian.

And he is convinced a good performance can be achieved in the Olympics on February 26 and 27.

“Although we have not had the best of starts to the season, except a couple of third places in the Europa Cup, we will improve going into the Games,” he said.

“From this week we are able to strip all the weight out of our sled as we have a new crew member who is heavier.

“This means we will now be able to push the same weight sled as the rest of the world, something we have never done before.

“We are also looking at getting a new sled and quality runners going into the Games which is going to give us a boost as well so we are still targeting a top-six finish.

“My back injury from last season seems to have gone now but I am suffering from recurring cramps in my hamstring at the moment.

“I am being treated for that so all should be good and hopefully I will be announced in the final team.”

Former Sale Harriers sprint king Condon first turned to bobsleigh in 2006.

The qualified physiotherapist, who won a relay gold medal in the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, said he had lost some motivation after 15 years at the top on the track.

It is not unusual for sprinters to take up bobsleigh because the technique used is transferred on to the ice with the aim of gaining as fast a start as possible with the sled.

The first couple of runs in a sled were a shock to the system but Condon progressed rapidly to compete in the 2006 World Cup and the 2007 European Cup.

He helped Britain’s four-man bob gain its highest ever finishing position of fifth at the World Championships in 2007.

After taking 12 months out of the sport he hit good form with the team again last season, ending the World Cup campaign 14th and World Championships 15th.

In the process he was a part of the first British sled in history to break speeds of 150kph.

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