Nationality British Name John Jackson Partner Paula Walker Club GB Team Weight 100 kg | Sport Bobsleigh (pilot) Height 1.83 m Country United Kingdom Role Bobsledder | |
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Born 11 April 1977 (age 47) ( 1977-04-11 ) Bishop Auckland, Durham, England, United Kingdom Residence Trowbridge, United Kingdom Profiles | ||
The crash of john james jackson s team
John James Jackson (born 11 April 1977 in Bishop Auckland, England) is a British former bobsledder and Royal Marines commando.
Contents
Career
He took up bobsleighing at the age of 28 and in September 2005 he trialled at the University of Bath and won a place in the Europa Cup Team. Just 4 months later he was selected to compete as a driver in the Europa Cup team. After his first successful season, he made his world cup debut as a driver in 2007. He became the British Champion in 2008. In 2011 John won gold and two bronze medals in the Europa Cup in St Moritz and was the first British man to ever do this.
Thereafter, Jackson has had a meteoric rise through the ranks that meant he was given the nod as the main British driver. Jackson's girlfriend Paula Walker is also involved in the bobsleigh sport. She too was recruited while serving in the British Armed Forces, in her instance with the Royal Signals. Paula has admitted several times the huge support that she gets from her family and John Jackson. In June 2014 the couple announced that they were expecting their first child together. Jackson has three daughters from a previous relationship.
In January 2014 Jackson led team-mates Joel Fearon, Stuart Benson and Bruce Tasker to a silver medal in the four-man event at the Bobsleigh European Championship. 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. He 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.
Military service
Jackson joined the Royal Marines in 1996. He is currently an All Arms Physical Training Instructor (AAPTI) and holds the rank of sergeant.
Achievements
British Champion: 2008
World Championships:
Winter Olympic Games
John Jackson also achieved: