A dash of perspective before we get started today, if you don’t mind.
Great Britain has no ice. It has no sliding track. Not a real one anyway. Nations like Germany, Canada, USA, Austria and Switzerland have home tracks. Some also have club systems nurturing sliders from the age of 11 – speed-obsessed youngsters who, before emerging from their teens, might have completed 2000 runs. A British slider will be lucky to hit that number in their entire career. Wherever a Team GB athlete shows up with a sled, the cards ought to be stacked against them. In fact without an understanding of the British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association’s attritious selection process, it’s hard to grasp how brake woman Mica Moore and her driver Mica McNeill kept dealing runs from the bottom of the pack in Pyeongchang. But the ladies from the temperate, ice-free island of Britain went on to finish ahead of competitors from such rightly-vaunted nations as Switzerland, Austria and Germany.
I know, I know – I hail from that same island but look, I’m not some deranged patriot with a union jack dangling from his upstairs window and the Queen staring out from a canvas in my living room. My guests come from all over the planet and I like to consider myself a citizen of the world. I’m just saying GB does well, really well, to even compete in sliding sports.
So with that out the way, let me welcome you back to the post-Pyeongchang recovery clinic. Today’s tonic, GB bobsledder Mica Moore, is something of an essential feature given her perilous journey to the winter Olympics, a journey which almost failed to get off the launch pad thanks to pre-qualifier funding cuts. Taking financial matters into their own hands, Mica Moore and Mica McNeill pushed their season towards Olympic qualification by crowd funding their World Cup campaign. Not content with merely getting to the Games, Mica and Mica set themselves the ambitious target of a top ten finish.
“I’m really happy with how we did at the Games,” Mica says of their achievements. “We wanted to go there and enjoy it firstly and also to get a top-10 position, and I think coming away with eighth is amazing, I hope we made everyone who supported us proud.”
In both the run up to Pyeongchang and the post-Games media response, Mica and Mica have enjoyed a prolific media presence. Take a look at any of their many interviews or social media releases and you’ll notice a proclivity for eruptions of laughter and smiles that could bring about world peace; if there was a medal for ebullience they’d have been podium finishers for sure. Watching Mica’s performance at the Games it was obvious, not to mention inspiring, that here was an athlete enjoying every moment.
“My happiest moment of the Games was probably having my family there on the start line. I could see them when I came out to the block and I could hear them chanting and screaming, and it was amazing to have them there to support me. On the last run it even made me smile behind my helmet!”
I often wonder how an athlete returning from such am awe-inspiring event on the world stage reacquaints themselves with the trappings of normality. Skeleton bronze medallist Laura Deas gave me the impression that the return to equanimity doesn’t happen overnight, if ever.
“It’s so surreal!” Mica concurs when I ask how it feels to be back. “I don’t think it’s hit home yet that we were there competing. On the first day back I was looking for any cleaning and washing I could do at home to fill my time, but it was the most amazing experience and time that I’ll never forget.”
But in truth, like Laura Deas, Mica hasn’t returned to the same manifestation of normality that she left. I point out, as if she needs me to, that she and Mica McNeill have become sporting national treasures both in the build up to, and during, the winter Olympics.
“It’s really strange to hear people say that but it’s also very nice!” she replies, and when I ask how her life has changed, continues, “Well every time I go to the shop and I’m trying to buy some sneaky cakes I always get caught by someone with well wishes for me from the Olympics! It’s also lovely to think that I might inspire people to take up sport or to even take part in winter sports.”
That Mica has inspired budding athletes is indisputable, but in a way she’s also enabled them. The higher the finishing position, the more favourable the funding allocation to that particular discipline.
“We actually won’t find out for a little while yet,” Mica says regarding the impact of her performance and whether it will reflect positively on future budgets. “Hopefully it will, but it’s something I’m trying not to think about for the moment, I’m just enjoying my time off!”
Living in the moment is one thing, and it’s a right she and McNeill have surely earned, but Mica’s future ambitions lie on a horizon that’s never that far away.
“Moving forwards I have so many ambitions and goals. I think sometimes people think I’m a little bit unrealistic but I would love to achieve them all. I still do athletics in the summer so at the moment I’m training towards an outdoor season in athletics. I’m not sure what competitions I’m going to do yet! Also next year, bobsleigh is obviously the world champs in Whistler which would be cool!”
Fully equipped and with another year’s training behind them, it’s not unfeasible to conceive a podium place or two for the Micas should they end up on the bobsleigh circuit in 2019, and with GB’s dominant men’s and women’s skeleton force, that would make a nice impact on the nation’s sliding status. No pressure ladies..
My thanks once again to the amazing and engaging Mica Moore for her time, it’s always an honour to feature her here and I hope she’ll come back in future. In the mean time you can keep up with Mica at the following feeds:
Twitter: @mica_lolita
Instagram: @micalm92