Hi, I’m Dave Coleman (34) 

I have spent a large amount of my life dedicated to sport and reaching the Olympic Games. Representing my country and the highest level in sport and proving others wrong that I would never make it.

Starting out in athletics, over 16 years I have competed at 3 Summer Olympic trials in the discus as well as….

• • Highest rankings;
    • Top 200 in the world ranking in 2012
    • UK senior men’s Discus 45^th All Time and
  • Twice medallist at British University Students Championships.
  • Represent Great Britain students in the Discus.
  • Represented GB Under 23’s at Loughborough International European Permit meeting
  • Competed in Under 20 European Trials for both Discus and Shot Put 2005 & 2006

After a car accident that put me out of the 2010 Commonwealth games selections I took up bobsleigh and moved through the ranks quickly and was selected to represent Great Britain at World Championships and then onto the Winter Olympics as a travelling reserve.

Prior to the Olympic season I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. Which made training, lifting weights, running, regulating body weight, medication to name a few aspects VERY difficult. I was prescribed medication that was recognised as prohibited by WADA and had to obtain medical clearance to take them (a very long process).

I learnt to find positives in virtually any situation and when I was called to be a travelling reserve I had to loose a stone, 7kg, in 12 days. Partly thanks to my ulcerative colitis I was able to do this.

It is a condition that I live with every day and struggle with. Which makes going to compete at the olympics even more rewarding.

• 2014 Winter Olympian for Team GB Bobsleigh.
• Competed for Great Britain Bobsleigh at the 2013 World Championships and Olympic Test event.
• Represented Great Britain bobsleigh in; World Cup, European cup and North Americas cup.
• Ranked 18th in the World for bobsleigh.

After the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics I have gone on to write a best selling book “Live to inspire” in an attempt to help others through mental health issues as well as to provide some support for athletes and myself with coping strategies.

As a result of the book I was invited to be part of a team that went on to break and set a world record for most weight deadlifted by a mixed team of 12 in 1 hour. Sadly the total weight recorded for the 24hours is not recognised by Guinness.

It is now that I have rediscovered my purpose and passion to represent my country at the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing. Bettering my previous level of being a travelling reserve and to stand on the start line with the Union Jack on my back and compete.