TROWBRIDGE's John Jackson gave himself the perfect build-up to next month's Winter Olympic Games in Sochi by claiming Britain's first four-man European Championships medal for 20 years in Germany today.

Paxcroft Mead pilot Jackson, who along with partner Paula Walker was confirmed in Great Britain's team for the Games in Russia, which get under way on February 7, finished fourth in the final FIBT World Cup race of the season in Konigssee.

Jackson's crew, including Stuart Benson, Bruce Tasker and Joel Fearon, finished just 0.01 of a second behind the Canadian bob led by Lyndon Rush to finish agonisingly just off the podium.

But with Switzerland's Beat Hefti finishing second behind the USA's race winner Steven Holcomb, Jackson's performance was enough to secure European silver, the first time a British four-man crew had won a medal since 1994.

Jackson, who fought back from a ruptured Achilles tendon sustained during training last summer, fnished second at the World Cup round in Lake Placid prior to Christmas.

"It's a great result to send us to Sochi," GB Bobsleigh performance director Gary Anderson told BBC Sport.

"There is still much more to come from this crew."

Walker and Rebekah Wilson finished 11th in the final women's World Cup race of the season, ending the campaign 12th overall.

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