How do you reach elite athlete status?

Successful athletes are touted for their determination, dedication, and drive. However, athletic achievements are more than the result of genetics. When we view elite athletes, their athletic accomplishments stand at the forefront but rarely do we see the behind-the-scenes struggles necessary for success.

In today’s session of “In Their Words,” we bring to light the mental stamina and efforts of Nikki McSweeney. Nikki is the driver for Great Britain’s No. 2 ranked bobsleigh team. In her career, Nikki has put together 28 Top-10 finishes since 2012, including two Top-8 finishes at the Europe Cup in 2022. Nikki’s journey is inspiring, but she is not finished yet as she gears up for a run at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.

JJW: Hi Nikki, could you tell me a little about your early years in sports?

NM: It’s a bit of a strange one. I grew up always being athletic, but it wasn’t until I started secondary school. My PE teacher pushed and pushed for me to join an athletics club. And that’s where I started competing. I tried various sports, and I realized that perhaps I’m a bit of a multi-event athlete. So, I ended up competing in the heptathlon for a few years.

JJW: How did you discover Bobsleigh?

NM: I got scouted for bobsleigh at university. So, I was training at the local athletics track, and I got to know a couple of guys who were there quite regularly. And after a couple of months, they said, ‘Would you like to try bobsleigh? We think you’d be good at it.’ And I looked at my coach and was like, ‘Do we have a bobsleigh team? Like what is going on here?’ They said, ‘Come down to Bath, give it a go, and I did. It snowballed from there.

I quite liked the training element of Bobsleigh. I’ve always liked the sprint and shotput elements of heptathlon. Just that power. It really translated into bobsleigh. So yeah, I stuck with it. That’s where it began, back in 2010.

JJW: What do you see as your biggest athletic accomplishment?

NM: One of my biggest accomplishments was the World Junior championships. I was a brakeman at the time, and we finished third. Third, as a junior in the world, that was pretty cool. It’s one of those that you look back on and think, ‘That’s quite big.’

You can’t grasp it; that in the whole world, you were third. We’re a country that doesn’t have snow and ice regularly, and we don’t have any bobsleigh tracks to train on. So, in that sense, I’d say we were probably underdogs. It’s difficult when you’re up against the Germans who’ve got three tracks and such depth on their team. Also, the Canadians and USA, they’re all well set up and well-funded. So yeah, to come in third was really quite fantastic.

JJW: Could you tell me about your push to qualify for the Olympics?

NM: So, I haven’t made an Olympic team… YET! We were very close to qualifying for the Olympics in 2014. According to Olympic standards, we qualified two sleds, but by British Olympic standards, they only send the top sled to the Olympics. If we went by Olympic standards, we would have gone, which was quite crushing. You put all that hard work in over four years and then be, ‘Ah, so we’re not going.’

JJW: What challenges have you faced while pursuing your Olympic dream?

NM: Much of our training happens in the summer during our offseason. We usually train six days a week, up to 8 hours a day, so that takes up a lot of my time. Also, I work as a physio for humans and horses in the summer, adding to my time challenges.”

JJW: How about traveling challenges? Where do you go to train on a track?

NM: “We generally go to Austria, France, and Germany. They’re the three main countries where we go to train, around two or three weeks before the season starts or before the first race.
At home, we only have a start slope so we can practice our push starts. So that’s a benefit, but we only have one of those. For me, it’s about a 2 1/2 hour journey each time I want to go to our training track, then two and 1/2 hours back. That’s a lot just for a training session to practice your starts.”

JJW: How about funding challenges? Do you get sponsorship money to offset training costs?

So that’s why I work so much. I pretty much work full-time in the summer to fund as much training as possible or fund what I can for the winter.

We rely on companies and corporate sponsorships to keep us going, keep us out on the ice, get us experience, and get us in the races so we can try to qualify for World Cup-level competitions, World Championships, and, ultimately, the Olympics. Last year, I used my money and help from my friends and family to help me just get three weeks on ice. That’s all I managed, and that was my season.

JJW: So, you are responsible for finding your own funding?

NM: UK Sport has reinstated some funding this year, but it’s not much, and the guys going to the World Cup mostly get the funding. So, as a driver, I’m responsible for finding sponsorships to keep my team out there training and competing.

JJW: How much funding do you require?

NM: I’m finding it’s around £40,000 for the season, about $47,000. That’s what we’re trying to find to keep us competing for a full season, which comprises a few training weeks on ice, eight races, and potentially the European World Championships at the end. So alongside working full time, I’m also emailing companies about sponsoring our team.

JJW: Are there any benefits of being a self-funded athlete?

NM: As a self-funded athlete, I do like that you can build your team around you. You can find a strength coach that works well with you. You can find the ice coach that works well with you and gets the best out of you. This year, I started working with a sports psychologist because that is one thing we didn’t have before that could help me.

I found the strength and conditioning coach that’s worked with me, and that’s got me in the best shape of my life. I am pushing 2/10 of a second faster over 30 meters than I did in 2014. So yes, standards do get better, but I’m getting better and better. For me, there’s no limit.

JJW: If I said, who are you, is athlete the first thing that comes into your mind?

NM: After six years of bobsleigh, I took a break. That’s when our GBR funding got dropped. I was like a rabbit in headlights. Like, what do we do now? It was at that time I just had transitioned into a pilot. So, I just needed to take a break, take a step back and reset and go again. When I stepped back into it, I kind of transitioned to a full-time athlete. I was like, that’s my job; I’m an athlete.

Right now, I’m working more as a physio and vet physio. I guess I’m both an athlete and physio, if that makes sense. So, it’s kind of a dual identity.

I was quite fortunate when I was starting at bobsleigh. Our performance director at the time said, ‘Finish your last year in university, so you have something to fall back on.’ Thank God I did because I have something to fall back on now. Since then, I’ve done my master’s degree, too.

JJW: Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?

NM: My ultimate dream would be on the GBR squad as a physio. Coming from a competitive background, I love that whole environment. I love the performance side of physio, and in that aspect, I would love to have a job with the GB national team. That would be the ultimate dream.

JJW: Thank you for your time, Nikki. I appreciate talking with you and wish you the best as you pursue your Olympic dream.

NK: Thank you.

Nikki exemplifies what it means to be a mentally tough athlete as she is undeterred by finances, training logistics, or scheduling. However, an athlete’s journey is not one traveled alone.
Nikki recognizes the need for a strong support team: teammates, trainers, sponsors, family, and friends. There is no doubt that Nikki’s relentless drive, coupled with those who support her in her goals, will help her rise to her potential.

Player Support Services wishes the best of luck to Nikki in all her athletic, career, and personal endeavors.

JJ Weber is the injury psychology adviser Player Support Service. JJ has over 20 years’ experience as a sport performance consultant. For questions, contact JJ: joe@player-support.com. Also follow Player Support Service on Instagram: @drsimonplayersupport