Welsh bobsleigh duo Adele Nicoll and Kya Placide are aiming for the 2026 Winter Olympic in Milan. This weekend, they will make their Bobsleigh World Cup debut as a team in Lillehammer, Norway. The pair are looking to build on European Cup bobsleigh gold in Switzerland, where they claimed Britain’s first win in that competition since 2017.
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We knew we could do something like this going into the race, we knew what we were capable of, Nicoll said. But bobsleigh is a difficult sport to execute because it’s all about the endurance of the runs. We were in a good position after the first run and going into the second we knew if we kept it together we could come away with gold.
A relatively new duo, 19-year-old Placide first teamed up with 27-year-old Nicoll at the same Norwegian venue in December 2023 for her bobsleigh debut. The pair both compete in athletics, with Nicoll winning UK Championship titles in shot put and Placide a 100m runner. It was in athletics that the pair created a friendship that blossomed on the ice track.
Building a Winning Partnership Nicoll and Placide’s Journey in Bobsleigh
I always saw Kyan on the athletics track and she was always quite shy,” Nicoll said. I decided I needed to do something about my speed because that’s where I needed to develop, so I joined a sprint group that Kya was a part of, so we had a bit of interaction before the season. Kya received an invitation to try bobsleigh and came to Bath, where she loved it, leading to the growth of their friendship.
Placide expressed that she had never experienced anything like it before, saying, “No one could have ever prepared me for this feeling. You can’t compare it to anything else, it’s adrenaline. It’s nothing like the 100m dash, it’s completely different. The opportunity to take up bobsled running came at the perfect time for Placide, who had somewhat lost his love for athletics. You can read Winter Olympic Milano Cortina 2026: Lake Placid Bids for 2026 Olympic Bobsleigh Events
I was on edge really said Placide. Now I think bobsleigh is helping on the track side because when I came back over Christmas to the training group, it felt like I was home again, it felt good. Nicoll attributes their athletic backgrounds as key factors for achieving strong results.
We always talk about my strength power and Kya’s speed power, which is a good start, Nicoll said. Because we trust each other, I want to navigate the track and drive well for Kya, so that when we reach the finish line, we can celebrate together. The team bonded over a 27-hour drive with deep and meaningful conversations and they drive their own sled to the next event.
Proudly Welsh Nicoll and Placide’s Journey Towards Milan 2026
Nicoll jokes Placide is something of a passenger princess as she doesn’t drive, but as a DJ queen she helps keep spirits up as Nicoll and fellow bobsleigh rider Maddison Illsley share the ride at the wheel. Although they compete under the GB flag, the team takes pride in their Welsh heritage, with the Dragon flag and The New Saints football club crest featured on their sleds.
We got up on the podium the next day and we both thought, ‘Oh no, we know the Welsh national anthem by heart, we have to think about the British one,’ said Nicoll. We’re proud to be Welsh, we’re proud to be British, but I think it’s important to recognize our nation.
Everyone from Wales has a connection, no matter where you are from. If you’re Welsh, you’re automatically friends. The pair have outlined their Winter Olympic ambitions for Milan 2026, with Nicoll having enjoyed the games in 2022 as a back-up.
Setting Their Sights on Success Nicoll and Placide Aim for winter Olympic 2026
Having traded her role as a brakeman to learn to pilot a sled since then, Nicoll hopes she can impart some wisdom on her newest teammate.
I can see Kya’s potential in the sport, Nicoll said. There’s still enough of an age gap where I can give her an experience and hopefully then her trajectory will be greater than mine because you’re coming in earlier and you have the advice of someone who’s been in your position.
Coming into this year, my expectations were that I want to make the 2026 Winter Olympic, but now I’m ready to go to the 2026 Games. I aim for us to secure as many international medals as we can along the way. Honestly believe we can go to 2026 now and not only qualify but be competitive with the best girls in the world.
I believe we are on the verge of making history for British women’s bobsleigh. Nicolli’s general purpose is shared by Placide. I want us to compete at the 2026 Winter Olympic Placide said. I think we can definitely get there without a doubt, just by putting in the work.
Welsh Bobsleigh Duo Wins Silver, Sets Stage for Future Success
Nicoll, 27, and Placide, 19, finished second in the women’s two with a time of one minute 54.2 seconds from their two runs. This marks only the second medal earned by a British women’s team in the last 15 years.
Britain’s Corie Mapp also secured silver in the men’s pre-bobsleigh event. Placide had never entered a sled until this winter, while Nicoll had just three World Cup starts in the two-woman discipline before Saturday. However, she was part of the last British women’s team to earn a World Cup medal, competing alongside Mica McNeill in Sigulda, Latvia, in January 2022.
Nicoll was extremely proud of her and fellow Welsh competitor Placide’s efforts. To be able to produce that performance on the track that will hold the World Championships next year is a huge confidence boost, she said.
We came here with the intention of learning the track so we can go into next season with some experience here, but we’ve come away with a silver medal. We couldn’t be happier. Very grateful to everyone who has supported us to get us here. It started last season when I decided to jump into the front seat. Just to have those people in our federation come home who believe in you and support you to make decisions and push you to be better has been a big thing for us.
Placide Celebrates Early Career Success with Silver Medal
Placide said: I’m feeling on top of the world, to be honest. I never, ever thought that a World Cup medal would come so early in my career. I am almost lost for words. We want to thank the whole BBSA, especially our coach, Sean (Olsson) and our performance director, Mark (Silva), plus everyone else who has supported us along the way.
The 2023 World Women’s Double Bobsleigh Championship Kim Kalicki and Leonie Fiebig of Germany finished 0.81 seconds ahead of the British pair. Germany’s Olympic champion Laura Nolte, with Claudia Schussler, came third to seal the overall World Cup title and retain the golden crystal globe trophy she won last year.
Meanwhile, Mapp’s silver medal in La Plagne, France, means the 45-year-old only needs to finish in the top six of Sunday’s race to take the overall 2023-24 World Cup crown after with medals in five of the seven events. so far this season.
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