Great Britain’s Brad Hall and Nick Gleeson crash out of two-man bobsleigh at Winter Olympics

Team GB were pushing hard at speeds of more than 130 kmph and in need of a perfect run to move into contention for a bronze at Beijing 2022

Jack Rathborn
Tuesday 15 February 2022 09:44 EST
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Brad Hall and Nick Gleeson of Team Great Britain crash during the 2-man Bobsleigh Heat 3
Brad Hall and Nick Gleeson of Team Great Britain crash during the 2-man Bobsleigh Heat 3 (Getty Images)

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Great Britain’s Brad Hall and Nick Gleeson have crashed out of the two-man bobsleigh at the Winter Olympics.

Team GB’s sled completely flipped in Yanqing after Hall came off curve 13 just a little bit late during their third run.

The mistake was forced with the pair out of the running for gold and pushing hard to remain in touch for a bronze medal at Beijing 2022.

And while in pursuit of a perfect run, their sled toppled after riding up against the wall at a speed of 134.7 kmph (83.7mph), ending their hopes.

The pair looked shaken and disappointed but were able to walk away seemingly without injury.

Track assistants tend to the bobsled of Brad Hall and Nick Gleeson
Track assistants tend to the bobsled of Brad Hall and Nick Gleeson (AP)

The Britons started the final day of competition down in 11th place after their first two runs - 1.36 seconds off the lead, but in with a chance of bronze with only a 0.42 second deficit.

The crash leaves Great Britain down in 13th after three runs, but Hall put on a brave face after the crash.

Emerging from the sled with Gleeson, Hall smiled and could be seen waving at the camera to fans watching back home.

Track assistants push the bobsled of Brad Hall and Nick Gleeson
Track assistants push the bobsled of Brad Hall and Nick Gleeson (AP)

The pair did safely make it down their fourth run, elevating them up to 11th with a time of 3:59.92 - 3.03 seconds off gold place and 1.34 seconds off bronze.

It was a historic clean sweep for the Germans as Francesco Friedrich took gold, Johannes Lochner in silver and Christoph Hafer in bronze.

Hall will now look to forget his nightmare un in the two-man and attack the four-man in the hunt for that precious medal.

Reacting to the two-man bobsleigh, Hall was upbeat and looking forward to targeting a medal in the four-man.

He told the BBC: “We're fit and healthy, we're feeling good. It's a mistake I haven't made before, it caught me off guard, that's elite racing, it happens in Formula 1, it happens in bobsleigh.

“As long as we were fit and healthy we were going again (for the fourth run). You crash, you have to go again, there’s no point waiting. We'll look at videos and make adjustments. I've driven it loads of times correctly. It (the fourth run) was probably the best run, training went a lot better than the racing though.”

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