Mica Moore: Welsh bobsleigher hopes to reach Olympics despite funding cut

British bobsleigher Mica Moore intends to overcome her 'devastation' at losing funding and still compete at the Winter Olympics in South Korea in February.

The British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association (BBSA) has withdrawn funding for a women's bobsleigh team five months before Pyeongchang 2018.

Wales' Moore and colleague Mica McNeill still hope to compete, but the team will now have to raise £30,000.

"We are devastated it has come to this," said Moore, 24.

"We were surprised and it is a massive shame but I am still focused on getting to the Olympics.

"It makes me more determined. When you have a setback, it makes it worthwhile to achieve that goal."

The BBSA received £10m in funding from UK Sport in the four-year cycle to Pyeongchang 2018 but suffered a £50,000 cut this summer after the BBC revealed some athletes complained of a "toxic atmosphere" in the sport.

The BBSA intends to continue its financial support of three men's teams on its performance programme, but McNeill has said the "mismanagement of British Bobsleigh" has led to her predicament.

Mica McNeill became world junior champion in the 2016-17 season

"BBSA have been apologetic for the overspend and it's not as if they don't want us to be there," said Moore, from Newport.

"Mica is dealing with it well, although it is a frustrating situation. It happens to be we were the ones cut which is unfortunate."

A crowdfunding page under the banner 'Team McNeill' has raised more than £19,000 of a £30,000 target.

The BBSA has been under scrutiny after an independent review started into allegations of bullying, racism and sexism.

In the past month, performance director Gary Anderson and head coach Dominik Scherrer have stepped down. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by either.

Moore insists she has not been a victim of discrimination.

"I haven't experienced anything like that," she said. "From what I have been through in bobsleigh, it has been a good experience."

Moore is a former Commonwealth Games sprinter, who competed for Wales at Glasgow 2014 before taking up bobsleigh in 2016.

She hoped to feature in the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April 2018 but failed to achieve a qualifying standard.

She has excelled in bobsleigh, partnering McNeill to World Junior Championship gold in January 2017.

The team need to compete during the World Cup season, which starts in November, to achieve a favourable world ranking before the Winter Olympics.

"We need that funding and are looking to source it in other ways," said Moore.

"There are people willing to help us and I hope there are more who will come forward. The support the public have shown us so far is incredible."