EAST Lancashire trio Paula Walker, Dave Ryding and Kristan Bromley were this morning named in Great Britain's Winter Olympic squad for the Games in Russia next month. Blackburn's Walker forms one half of the British women's bobsleigh squad while slalom skier Ryding, from Pendle, is also selected. Kristan Bromley, from Waterfoot, has been named in the skeleton squad, alongside his girlfriend Shelley Rudman. Walker's partner John Jackson is also selected in the squad in the men's bobsleigh team. Team GB Chef de Mission Mike Hay said: “Bobsleigh has had its ups and downs this year but ultimately gone from strength to strength and there is no better proof of that than the fact that we have qualified a second four-man bob for Sochi, the first time since Salt Lake City in 2002. ”I am particularly pleased for John Jackson, who will pilot one of the four-man sleds after making an extremely impressive recovery from a ruptured Achilles he sustained last July, less than eight months out from Sochi.” Jackson’s sled also includes brake-men Stuart Benson, Joel Fearon and Bruce Tasker, while Deen will be pushed by John Baines, Ben Simons and Craig Pickering, who also represented Great Britain at the 2008 Beijing summer Games in the 4x100m relay. Pickering said: “I only started in bobsleigh 13 months ago, so to come from nothing to being selected for Sochi, it’s been hard work, but I’ve made it and I am excited to have been selected to compete for Team GB again. ”That’s why we do sport - to compete at the highest level and there is no higher level than the Olympic Games.” Walker will return for her second Games in the women’s competition, having finished 14th on her debut in Vancouver four years ago. She will be pushed by Altrincham’s Rebekah Wilson, who will make her Games debut. Bromley will be competing in his third Winter Olympics.
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