BRAKEMAN Bruce Tasker is part of a four-man GB bobsleigh team that is focused on winning a medal at the forthcoming 2014 Winter Olympics held in Sochi, Russia.

The 26-year-old was brought up in Manorbier, a small village in south Pembrokeshire and is a former pupil of Greenhill Tenby.

After leaving school he then graduated in 2008 with an upper second class honours degree in Bio-Chemistry at Bath University and it was there that he was encouraged to take up bobsleigh in 2010.

He will be going for Olympic glory as part of a four-man team consisting of top GB driver John Jackson and brakemen Stu Benson, Joel Fearon and Tasker.

The quartet have had some notable success where they won the British Championships in Winterberg 2011-12 and in 2012-13 they came fifth and sixth in the World Cup at Whistler and Iglis respectively, and also finished fifth in the World Championships in St Moritz. These results earned the team funding from the National Lottery enabling them to train full time at Bath.

The season reaches a finale with the Sochi Olympic Games in February. This is a hugely exciting time as the progress made by the team so far was achieved on part time training. But with more time and facilities at their disposal Bruce said: “I’m confident that we can make huge advances in our performances and this will make us serious medal contenders at the Olympic Games.”

After an earlier successful career in athletics where he competed for Carmarthen Harriers for over a decade and broke many county and Welsh records along the way, Tasker excelled in the 400 metres where he was the British Indoor Junior Champion for three years in a row. He also won 200 metres British under-23 bronze medal, but felt his time had come to an end in athletics and this led to the switch.

Head of PE at Greenhill Tenby Phil Williams said: “We are so excited that a former pupil will be taking part in the Winter Olympics. I’ve spoken to other teachers who have taught Bruce and they have all said that he was a model pupil, a brilliant achiever both academically and on the sports field. Everyone from the school will be cheering for him in Sochi.”

Don’t miss the TV programme this Friday on BBC 2 Wales at 7pm where Dot Davies is joined by Rob Earnshaw to preview the weekend's FA Cup fixtures. With Bruce Tasker, the Welshman hoping to win a medal at the Winter Olympics. Plus a day in the life of Newport County football club.