Athletics: Cooke on boil for first race in hot seat

EDINBURGH's Gillian Cooke has confessed to being "really excited" as she prepares for her first race as a bobsleigh driver in the first round of the Europa Cup on the Olympic track at Igls, near Innsbruck, Austria.

"I've learned so much over the past ten days and now I'm looking forward to putting it into practice in a race situation," said the 2009 world champion, who was brakewoman to driver Nicola Minichiello in the winning British bob and will now drive GBR2.

"It's quite a strong field so it'll give me a real idea of where I am and where I need to get to," said the 28-year-old former long jumper, who, with Minichiello out for the whole winter injured, has gambled on staking her claim for the top British driver's slot.

Ultimately, she is intent on making the team for the 2014 Winter Olympics as a driver instead of Britain's top brakewoman.

Another former athlete-turned-brakewoman, Fiona Harrison, will step in to drive GBR1, replacing the luckless Paula Walker who has picked up an injury after being named to replace Minichiello.