As the team gears up for the new season, they trained for 10 days at the centre, which is owned by four-time Olympic gold medallist Michael Johnson, using its state of the art facilities and world-class coaches.

British bobsleigh performance director Gary Anderson said: "As a sport we need to ensure we take a no compromise approach to our preparation for the forthcoming world cup season and ultimately to Sochi in 2014.

"All our top athletes have bought into our vision and we must now ensure that we expose them to the best possible coaches and facilities available.

"Our pre-season camp in 2011 was always going to have to set the scene and we could think of no better facility to partner with, than the Michael Johnson Performance Centre.

"As part of our programme and education we want to expose our athletes to many different aspects of performance and look at what competitors from other sports are doing to stay at the top of their game.

"Together with the coaches at the MJP our coaching team have designed programs that will enhance speed, force development, strength and power, specific to bobsleigh.

"The facilities at the MJP Centre are world-class and supported by coaches who have worked with the best dynasty winners, athletes who have topped the podium over and over again.

"These are the people with which we must associate ourselves."

Paula Walker (pictured), the world junior bobsleigh champion, is particularly enthusiastic about the opportunity to train at the centre and said: "I'm very excited to go to the Michael Johnson Performance Centre.

"It gave an opportunity to focus on power force development under the supervision of top quality coaches, in an environment where we were totally focused as a team"

Communications director of British Bobsleigh, Manny Cohen, believes the camp can get the best out of the British team.

"This 10 day camp enabled the team to be the best physically prepared for the new season and with only two more left before the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, it is essential that we do everything in our power to ensure that we reach the podium," he said.

The facilities on offer included a 6,000 square foot indoor synthetic turf training field, a four lane indoor train, a Nike SST sport vision-training lab and full medical support.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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