Mansfield Woodhouse: Olympian Nicola is ice cool for Academy visit

A former world champion bobsleigh driver inspired Manor Academy pupils with tales of her rise to the top during a recent visit.
By The Newsroom
Published 20th Jun 2014, 15:58 BST
Olympic athlete Nicola Minichiello inspired pupils at Manior Academy.Olympic athlete Nicola Minichiello inspired pupils at Manior Academy.
Olympic athlete Nicola Minichiello inspired pupils at Manior Academy.

Nicola Minichiello dropped in at the Mansfield Woodhouse school as part of the Sky Sports Living for Sport initiative.

The 35-year-old bobsledder, who competed between 2001 and 2011 including three Winter Olympics and was the first British female bobsleigh driver to scoop World Championships gold in the two-person event in 2009.

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“The students were fascinated by her story,” said Chris Hall, learning assistant. “It was very motivational.”

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Olympic athlete Nicola Minichiello inspired pupils at Manior Academy.Olympic athlete Nicola Minichiello inspired pupils at Manior Academy.
Olympic athlete Nicola Minichiello inspired pupils at Manior Academy.

“She spent time with our student sports leaders and offered them the opportunity to ask questions, then she held two inspirational sessions with some of our year seven students.”

Head of PE, Martin Cooper, added: “Nicola’s visit wasn’t necessarily sport-related, she was here to make students realise their potential in all subjects.

“She told the students about her struggle to get to where she is today and they really appreciated her honesty. Everybody got so much out of her visit.”