Trowbridge bobsleigh ace Jackie Gunn insists watching her closest rival clinch World Championship gold could be the best thing that has happened to her.

The 31-year-old was forced to sit and watch as driver Nicola Minichiello joined forces with new brakewoman Gillian Cooke to become Britain’s first world champions for 44 years.

For Gunn it was a bitter pill to swallow having been Minichiello’s first choice partner in the two-man bob for the past few years, picking up silver at the 2005 World Championships before finishing ninth at the 2006 Olympics in Turin.

Unfortunately for Gunn three in to two doesn’t go and following Cooke’s switch from the long jump to bobsleigh Minichiello now has a second option in her bid for gold at next year’s Olympics.

But despite admitting Cooke – who six months ago hadn’t even set foot in a bobsleigh – is in pole position to join forces with Minichiello in Vancouver, Gunn is adamant she will double her efforts in a bid to upstage the Scot. “It was great to see the girls do so well and get the medal but it was obviously disappointing to have not been there myself,” she said.

“If I’m honest I wasn’t at my best last season and I wasn’t performing.

“I didn’t step up to the plate when I needed to and that was very disappointing. Gillian is a great athlete and I was delighted for the girls but you obviously want to be there yourself.

“But it is far better that this has happened to me this year than next year and I can now make sure I work really hard over the summer and come back next season ready to fight for my place.

“It looks like the selection for next year’s World Cup team will happen in August so I can go away now and work really hard at the English Institute of Sport over the summer and make sure I’m in the best shape I can be.

“I have got a lot of positives out of this season – the day after Nicola and Gill won their gold I had my best push of the season in the team race, so it is all to play for.”

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