Ashley (pictured) only took up bobsleigh as a brakesman in May 2012 but the former track sprinter has already worked his way into the British Bobsleigh set-up, including an appearance in January’s World Junior Championships in Germany as part of the GB four-man sled.

Ashley’s progress has prompted SportsAid, an independent charity that provides support for young and aspiring British athletes, to award the 20-year-old funding to the tune of £1, 000. Past recipients of SportsAid funding include Olympic Gold medal winners Sir Chris Hoy and Mo Farah.

The Luton-campus based Sports Therapy student is planning to use the funding to cover his travel costs to British Bobsleigh’s Headquarters at the University of Bath.

“Competing at the 2018 Winter Olympics is the goal and receiving this funding will hopefully help me in realising that ambition,” said Ashley, who hails from Peterborough.

“British Bobsleigh nominated me for the prestigious SportsAid funding, and the faith they have shown in me is a massive confidence boost.”

With the 2013/14 bobsleigh campaign now at an end; Ashley already has his sights set on becoming a regular fixture in British Bobsleigh’s junior squad once the new season commences in October.

“Over the next two to three months I will be training in the gym and completing plenty of sprint drills out on the track, which is vital in helping me keep fit and focused during the close season.

“Throughout the summer period away from my studies at Bedfordshire, I will be at the University of Bath where I’ll train on the push-start track, which enables British Bobsleigh athletes to hone their starts away from the ice.

“Hopefully I do enough for the coaches to select me next winter for either the North American Cup or Europa Cup, which are competitions consisting of a series of races for countries’ junior teams to gain experience in.”

Photo courtesy of the Luton News