John Jackson (bobsleigh)

John Jackson
Personal information
Full nameJohn James Jackson
NationalityBritish
Born (1977-04-11) 11 April 1977 (age 48)[1]
Bishop Auckland, Durham, England, United Kingdom
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Weight106 kg (234 lb)[1]
Spouse
Paula Walker
Sport
Country United Kingdom
Sport Bobsleigh (pilot)
ClubGB Team
Medal record
Men's Bobsleigh
Representing  Great Britain
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Sochi Four man
European Championships
Silver medal – second place 2014 Königsee Four-man
World Cup
Silver medal – second place 2013 Lake Placid Four-Man
Europa Cup
Gold medal – first place 2011 St. Moritz Two-man
Bronze medal – third place 2011 St. Moritz Four-man
Bronze medal – third place 2011 St. Moritz Four-man

John James Jackson (born 11 April 1977) is a former British bobsleigher and current Royal Marines commando.[2]

Career

Jackson took up bobsleighing at the age of 28. In September 2005 he trialled at the University of Bath and won a place in the Europa Cup team, later being selected to compete as driver. He made his world cup debut as a driver in 2007 and became British champion in 2008. In 2011 Jackson won gold and two bronze medals in the Europa Cup in St Moritz, the first British man ever to do so.[3][4][5][6] Thereafter, Jackson became the main British driver.[7]

In January 2014, with team-mates Joel Fearon, Stuart Benson and Bruce Tasker, Jackson won a silver medal in the four-man event at the Bobsleigh European Championship.[8] He competed at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics, guiding his crew to fifth place in the four-man event in 2014, 0.11 seconds off a bronze medal, after recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon. In 2017, the British team were upgraded to the bronze medal position after two Russian crews were disqualified for doping violations. Jackson also competed at seven FIBT World Championships, finishing fifth in the four-man event in the 2013 Worlds at St. Moritz. He took a second place in the four-man competition at the Lake Placid round of the 2013–14 Bobsleigh World Cup, the first podium finish for a British crew for many years. Jackson announced his retirement from the sport in June 2016.[9]

Jackson's wife Paula Jackson, who also served in the armed forces, was involved in bobsleigh until her retirement from the sport in 2015.[10] In June 2014 the couple announced that they were expecting their first child together. Jackson has three daughters from a previous relationship.[11]

Military service

Jackson joined the Royal Marines in 1996. He is currently a Physical Training Instructor (PTI) and holds the rank of Colour Sergeant.

Achievements

British Champion: 2008

World Championships:

  • 9th in 2007 (4 man crew)
  • 13th in 2008 (4 man crew)
  • 22nd in 2009 (2 man crew)
  • 17th in 2009 (4 man crew)
  • 20th in 2011 (2 man crew)
  • 10th in 2012 (4 man crew)
  • 19th in 2013 (2 man crew)
  • 5th in 2013 (4 man crew)

Winter Olympic Games:

  • 3rd in 2014 (4 man crew)

John Jackson also achieved:

  • 2006 Navy Novice Champion
  • 2005 Army Novice Champion
  • 2005 European Novice Push Championships: Bronze Medallist

References

  1. ^ a b c "John Jackson". BobTeamGB.org. Archived from the original on 10 March 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  2. ^ "Corporal John Jackson". royalnavy.mod.uk.[dead link]
  3. ^ "Record week for Jackson". Eurosport. 7 February 2011. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  4. ^ Howe, Claire (25 January 2011). "Record medal haul for British Bobsleighers is St. Moritz". ljvsm.com. Retrieved 1 April 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  5. ^ "Commando had record bobsleigh medal haul in his sights". insidethegames.biz. 25 January 2011. Retrieved 30 March 2011.
  6. ^ "Two more medals for Jackson". Bath Chronicle. 27 January 2011. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
  7. ^ "From Bobsleighing to Afghanistan". BBC Sport. 9 November 2010. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  8. ^ Hope, Nick (26 January 2014). "GB bobsleigh quartet warm up for Sochi 2014 with silver medal". BBC Sportt. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  9. ^ "Former Wiltshire Olympian John Jackson retires from bobsleigh after hugely successful career". Gazette and Herald. 10 June 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
  10. ^ "British No.1 bobsleigh driver Paula Walker won the Junior World Championships". British Bobsleigh Association. 8 February 2011. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  11. ^ Rose, Neil (6 June 2014). "Sochi 2014 bobsleigh couple Paula Walker and John Jackson expecting first child". Bath Chronicle. Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2014.