Jon is a two time Olympian, a European gold medalist and a world record holder. The GB Short Track skating team heading to Sochi is stronger than ever, and Jon is one of our best Olympic hopefuls.
“Speed skating is a very high energy sport. We’re racing head to head at huge speeds on a really narrow track and I have to stay on my toes, quite literally, to avoid falling. There can sometimes be a few falls and this adds to the excitement.
My summer training programme started in April, much earlier than usual, giving me just one month off after last season. I’m training hard, we’ve taken a few trips to a training camp in Dresden, Germany as a team, and at the moment, everything is going to plan.
I was part of the short track team at the Turin games in 2006 and in Vancouver in 2010, and I think my Olympic experiences have made a difference in the qualifying stages. During qualifying athletes are under so much pressure. Having been there twice before, I was able to hold my nerve and use my experience to encourage the rest of the team.
Short Track skating is an Olympic sport not to be missed. Races are unpredictable and often come right down to the last corner. Everything can change in the last seconds of a race and things get pretty exciting! The Short Track skating team heading to Sochi 14 is the strongest I’ve ever been in. We’re hoping to create a legacy and encourage young people to take up the sport, and obviously we’d like to bring back quite a few medals too!”
Follow the GB Short Track team on Twitter – @GB_ShortTrack
