Michelle Steele will always hold a place in the history books as Australia’s first female Skeleton Olympian, but this tenacious Queenslander wants to go one better in Sochi.
Michelle Steele will always hold a place in the history books as Australia’s first female Skeleton Olympian, but this tenacious Queenslander wants to go one better in Sochi.
The 2006 Olympian is weeks away from qualifying for her second Olympic Games and after the heartbreak of missing the 2010 Vancouver Games, she is determined to do her country proud at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
Born in Gladstone, raised in Bundaberg and now living in Brisbane, Steele was always going to participate in summer sports and grew up doing surf life saving.
“Growing up in the surf gave me opportunities to test myself, to get out of my comfort zone, to get knocked around in the surf and come out with a head full of water and a bit shaken up,” Steele said.
“It made me stronger, it gave me confidence and made me more willing to try challenging things,” she said.
This curiosity led an 18-year-old Steele to Skeleton through the Australian National Talent Identification Program. Steele had impressive sporting pedigree - she was a level 9 gymnast and competitive surf lifesaver with Elliott Heads SLSC, finishing fourth in the open women's beach flags at the 2004 Australian Surf Lifesaving Championships.
“I was selected [in 2004] as part of a team of women that were transferred from sports in Australia into Skeleton based on skills and qualities that the AIS identified,” she said.
“We had a very accelerated progression into the sport and I progressed very quickly, qualifying for the Olympic Games in Torino in 2006, finishing in 13th place.
“From there I had the goal of medalling at an Olympics and set about working on refining my skills.” Steele’s initial impression of the sport was that it was completely different to anything that she had done before but she soon fell in love with its extreme nature. She was also amazed by the degree of skill and concentration required to be competitive in the sport at the highest level.
“It is an intricate balance of a lot of components to reach for more speed than your competitors while still being in control,” Steele said.
“I love the physical and mental side to the sport. The explosive power that is required on the start and then the challenge of negotiating the track, making decisions and reacting at such high speeds.
“When I get to the bottom and I have put it all together, it is a huge rush. In a sport that comes down to hundredths of seconds the pressure is on and I love that.”Steele competed in the full racing season in a bid to qualify for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, however did not make the team and her goal of medalling was put on hold.
“I was out-raced by two strong Australian sliders who filled the spots,” said Steele, referring to Melissa Hoar and Emma Lincoln-Smith.
“I was devastated after missing the Vancouver Olympics and didn't think that I would put myself in that position again, yet here I am four years on and it makes me happy that I've taken another chance, whatever the outcome,” she said.
Steele has always been process driven and this time around has more experience to put towards what she is working on each day.
“I work on what I have control of and let the results hopefully reflect that,” she said.
After taking the 2011/12 season off, Steele has returned to her sled more confident and determined than ever to develop her skills and qualify for the Sochi Games.
“I feel confident on the sled this year. I worked hard with the coaches last season to change and adapt my sliding and we have continued to build on that this season. I've also been working hard in the gym and my push start is very competitive this season.”
Her hard work has been reflected in some excellent results achieved in the 2013/2014 season. Steele won a bronze medal at the 2013 World Cup in Calgary and finished fifth one week later in Park City. She is pleased with her performance but says: “I always want to do one better.”
Steele is currently ranked 13th in World Cup rankings and 17th on the important FIBT list, which will determine her Olympic qualification.
“I won't know until the end of January if I have qualified this time around,” she said.
“I'm using every race to build on my performances so that by the Games I will be in the best position possible to win gold for Australia.
“I'm very proud to be Australian and to represent Australia at the Olympic Games. To win a medal would be something that I've been working towards for a long time.”
It is anticipated that Australia will qualify two female sliders with Lucy Chaffer among the frontrunners. Australia may also be represented in the men’s event with John Farrow is in a battle to move up the qualification ladder.