“I just cracked on”- Team GB star Adele Nicoll completes remarkable comeback to Winter Olympics after career threatening knee injury

Adele Nicoll feared her Olympic dream had ended just five months ago after a frightening knee injury during training. The British athlete tore ligaments and could barely walk. Today, the 29-year-old is competing at the Winter Games in Cortina. She has qualified for the monobob and will also pilot the two-woman bobsleigh with former sprinter Ashleigh Nelson. Her recovery has surprised many, as she only recently stopped using crutches.

Nicoll is also a three-time women’s shot put champion. Balancing summer and winter sports has made her journey unusual. She finished 18th in the monobob, becoming the first British athlete in that event. Despite the pain and long rehab, she says she now feels fully fit. The Welsh athlete is even considering competing in shot put at the upcoming Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

Painful injury nearly ended Adele Nicoll’s Winter Olympics hopes

Adele Nicoll explained that the accident happened during a track training run. Her new spikes stuck in the surface while her body kept moving forward, forcing her knee backward. She remembered shouting loudly at the moment of injury, saying the reaction came mainly from shock and fear that she would miss the Olympics rather than from the pain itself.

The damage was severe. She suffered a ligament tear at the back of the knee, capsule damage, a small tibia fracture, bone bruising, and strains to both ACL and LCL. She could not put weight on the leg. For weeks she relied on a brace and crutches. Speaking to The Sun, she admitted the timing felt terrible and emotionally overwhelming, but she decided the only solution was total focus on recovery and disciplined daily decisions.

Doctors warned her that rushing could create long-term problems, so the team chose a slow and careful plan. She said she is thankful for the support around her because proper rehab allowed her to arrive in Cortina healthy and ready.

Nicoll believes her long-term future is in bobsleigh but still hopes to achieve as much as possible in both sports. She carefully manages body weight due to racing limits. She previously lost about 20 kilograms for bobsleigh and discovered her throwing distance improved because power mattered more than body mass. For now, she plans to continue both sports while staying strong and properly fuelled.





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