3rd Battalion

Description: Sgt Lenny Paul, 3rd place for GB in the Olympics Bobsleigh. 1998.

Lenny Paul was part of the bobsleigh team at four Winter Olympics, narrowly missing out on a gold medal in 1992.

“We used to liken it to putting yourself in the high speed spin dryer for about minute – it’s sheer madness,” said Lenny.

“In 1992 we were in gold medal position overnight. The next day I could see our medal drifting away.”

Lenny and partner Mark Tout ended up taking sixth place at Albertville in 1992, the best placing since Great Britain won the two man bobsleigh event in 1964.

It was Lenny’s second Olympics and he says the failure was partly made up for by Britain’s third place in the four man bobsleigh event in 1998.

“It comes with experience. That was the first time we were up there, but in 1998, having that experience, it helped us win the bronze medal.”

Lenny’s role for Team GB was the brakeman – meaning it was up to him to slow the bobsleigh down without taking too much time off the team’s run.

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