 Cooke and Minichiello won gold at Lake Placid in New York |
One of Britain's best medal hopes at next year's Winter Olympics has been forced to stop competing temporarily because of an eye condition. Nicola Minichiello, who is the current world bobsleigh champion, has suffered a loss of vision in her left eye. An eye specialist diagnosed a condition which leaks fluid in the retina and recommended Minichiello undergo laser surgery to rectify the problem. But her team are confident she will be fit enough for the Vancouver Games. A statement on the Team Minichiello Facebook page read: "She will be back fitter than ever after Christmas." Sheffield's Minichiello managed to compete at the recent World Cup race in Italy and finished eighth but she was advised to return home for treatment. The specialist identified a condition called central serous retinopathy which causes distortion in vision. She will immediately undergo laser surgery, forcing her to miss World Cup races in Winterberg and Altenberg in Germany.  | 606: DEBATE |
But she is hoping to be back for the Koenigssee race in Germany at the beginning of January. Her event in the Winter Olympics is not until 23 and 24 February at Whistler Sliding Centre. In February at Lake Placid in New York, Minichiello and Gillian Cooke became the first British women to win a bobsleigh world title and the first Britons since Robin Dixon and Anthony Nash triumphed in the World Championships in 1965. This season they have finished in the top 10 in every race but have yet to achieve a place on the podium.
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