TROWBRIDGE couple John Jackson and Paula Walker have been named in Great Britain's squad for this season's Olympic qualification events.

The duo, who live in Paxcroft Mead, were named following a weekend of intensive selection trials in Bath, although Jackson, who was fifth in this year's World Championships, is still recovering from surgery after rupturing his Achilles during training earlier this summer.

Walker, who herself has been recovering from a knee injury, is one of three Great Britain women's drivers named. The women's crews need to be in the world's top 14 to be nominated for selecion, while the men, of which Jackson is one of two drivers, must be ranked inside the world's top 20 at the end of the qualification period in mid-January.

GB Bobsleigh Performance Director Gary Anderson said: “This is the first phase of our selection process to ensure that we maximise our chances of qualification for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games.

"We have achieved a lot in the past three season but it has all been part of the plan for Sochi 2014. This group of athletes are focused and understand what is required of them, they have all signed up to our mission to be the best prepared team, technically, tactically, athletically and mentally that we can be come Games time”.

The World Cup season gets under way in Calgary, Canada, on November 26, with results between then and January 19 determining who will represent Great Britain in Sochi in February.

The squad will now head to Latvia for on-ice testing before a training camp in France, which will lead into their season-opener in Calgary, Canada.

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