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Shelley Rudman

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Name
  
Shelley Rudman

Height
  
1.67 m

Education
  
University of Bath

Parents
  
Josie Rudman, Jack Rudman

Role
  
Skeleton racer

Partner
  
Kristan Bromley

Children
  
Ella Rudman

Shelley Rudman assetsespngocomiolywinter14apbiosimagesS
Similar People
  
Kristan Bromley, Mellisa Hollingsworth, Maya Pedersen‑Bieri

Profiles

Shelley rudman skeleton crash


Shelley Rudman (born 23 March 1981) is a British skeleton bobsledder, the 2013 world champion in that event, an Olympic silver medal at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in skeleton (the only medal for Great Britain at the Games) and a former World Cup and European champion.

Contents

Shelley Rudman Shelley Rudman closes in on world championship leader Anja

Originally from Pewsey, Wiltshire, Rudman now lives in Sheffield, England.

Shelley rudman on trans world sport


Early career

Shelley Rudman British Olympics skeleton bob silver medallist Shelley

She took up the sport of skeleton after a university friend and GB skeleton athlete Greg Kirk introduced her to the sport in October 2002 at the University of Bath push track. Rudman went for the GB skeleton development team selection at the University of Bath which would allow her to join a funded programme, but wasn't successful in making the team. At the time Rudman was working full-time at the ACS International Schools, Cobham, Surrey and also in her third year of a BSc Degree course at St Mary's College, Twickenham. She decided to apply for an Ice school in Norway run by the British military to pursue the sport and realise her dream of being selected for Great Britain by funding herself around tracks in Europe along with 2 other British servicemen.

Shelley Rudman Shelley Rudman Photos Team GB Winter Olympic Media

A year later in 2003, she qualified for the World Junior Championships and where she finished in 10th position and highest-ranked British female. In 2004 she won the Europa Cup in Igls, Austria. In 2005 she won gold in the World University Games.

Since 2006, Rudman has been self-coaching and learning the tracks herself throughout the World Cup seasons.

2006 Winter Olympics

Shelley Rudman Shelley Rudman Zimbio

In order for her to take part in the 2006 Olympics, Rudman needed £4000 to pay for a new professional sled. Her home town held a special canoe event to help raise the money, and they succeeded. Rudman also spent some time as a supply teacher at Devizes School, a secondary school located in Devizes, Wiltshire.

By the time the 2006 Winter Olympics began in Turin, Rudman said she was aiming for a top 10 position; however, during a practice run she had the fastest time, even beating the World Champion at the time. This great performance in the practice run made the public become aware of her. In the first heat, she was 4th; however, after a brilliant second heat, she finished with a silver medal. Live television pictures were shown from her local pub, where a large crowd that had gathered to watch her race were cheering and celebrating her victory. The 2006 Olympics were only intended to be a stepping-stone for her as training for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

On her return to Pewsey the village put on an open top bus tour where thousands of people attended to witness her return to Pewsey.

Skeleton World Cup performances: 2007–2009

After a summer of media commitments from winning her Olympic Silver medal, Rudman returned to the British selection races in Lillehammer where she set an unofficial track record. During the season an ongoing knee injury flared up, causing her to have intensive knee physiotherapy to get her through the remaining World Cup rounds before returning to the UK after the World Championships in St Moritz to have immediate knee surgery.

Rudman's best finish at the FIBT World Championships was 10th in the women's skeleton event at St. Moritz in 2007. She later announced that she was to become a mother in October and would be taking the following season off.

She sat out the 2007–08 Skeleton World Cup season to give birth to her daughter Ella Marie and have a knee operation, and made an impact on her return to the sport for the 2008–09 season. Rudman won the 2008–09 Skeleton World Cup event at Igls, Austria on 12 December 2008. She then earned her second medal of her 2008/09 World Cup campaign with a silver medal at Konigssee in Germany, in January 2009.

Success continued as Rudman won the 2009 European Bob Skeleton Championships at the St Moritz track in Switzerland, breaking the track record with a time of 1:09.97 on her second run. She finished the season 2nd in the overall World Rankings published by the FIBT.

FIBT World Cup: 2009–10 season

Rudman repeated her feat of finishing the season in 2nd place overall in the World Cup, behind champion Mellissa Hollingsworth of Canada. Highlights of the season were two Gold medal wins in Cesana and St. Moritz. The season's results were;

Round 1
Park City, USA – 4th place
Round 2
Lake Placid, USA – Silver Medal (2nd place)
Round 3
Cesana (Torino), Italy – Gold Medal (1st place)
Round 4
Winterberg, Germany – 4th place
Round 5
Altenberg, Germany – 7th place
Round 6
Konigssee, Germany – Bronze Medal (3rd place)
Round 7
St Moritz, Switzerland – Gold Medal (1st place)
Round 8
Igls, Austria – 4th place

The Igls race also counted as the 2010 European Championships, and Rudman finished with the Bronze Medal in 3rd place.

2010 Winter Olympics

On 29 January 2010, Rudman was officially announced as part of the Team GB Skeleton Bobsleigh squad to compete at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.

Rudman was the flagbearer for Britain at those games.

She finished 6th overall in the women's skeleton.

World rankings progression

  • 2007–08 36th
  • 2008–09 2nd
  • 2009–10 2nd
  • 2010–11 2nd
  • 2011–12 1st
  • 2012–13 7th
  • 2013–14 3rd
  • Based on end of season FIBT rankings.

    Sponsors & support

    Since 2006, Rudman has used skeleton sleds designed and manufactured by partner Kristan Bromley's company, Bromley Technologies Ltd, at the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP). Since 2012, Rudman has been sponsored by Mazda UK.

    Rudman supports the following charities:

  • The Stroke Association
  • Right to Play
  • Personal life

    Rudman is married to fellow British skeleton competitor Kristan Bromley, with whom she has daughters Ella Rudman, born in October 2007, and Sofia Rudman-Bromley, born January 2015.

    Awards

  • Zest Magazine 2012 'Most Inspirational Women of the year'
  • Cosmopolitan Magazine Brave young and fearless nominee 2006
  • Wiltshire Life Award
  • BBC West Sports personality of the year Award 2006
  • TV

    She has appeared on the following television shows:

  • Superstars 2008 – Winning team
  • BBC Sports Personality of the Year
  • BBC High Altitude
  • BBC Ski Sunday
  • A Question of Sport
  • Blue Peter
  • Richard & Judy
  • ITV news
  • BBC news
  • CITV
  • Events

  • Royal Ascot Royal Box
  • Wimbledon Royal Box
  • Cowes week – Ladies day
  • Sports Industry Awards
  • Salon Prive
  • References

    Shelley Rudman Wikipedia