Bobsleigh

LONDON -- British bobsleigh world champion Nicola Minichiello is set to have a third eye operation on Wednesday before heading out to Vancouver in search of Winter Olympic gold.

Minichiello and brakewoman Gillian Cooke are one of Britain's best hopes for a medal in Canada next month.

But as recently as December, sled driver Minichiello feared she might not make it to the Games after losing 80 percent of the sight in her left eye.

"I feared my Olympic Games were over," she said Tuesday.

However, she was given cause for optimism when British team doctors diagnosed Minichiello was suffering from retinitis, the same condition that once affected Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes.

Minichiello underwent two bouts of laser surgery, which ensured she could return to the track with Cooke and complete their Olympic qualification.

Minichiello's sight is up to 75 percent in her left eye now but she still needs one more operation before the British bobsleigh team heads to Canada.

"Over the course of about four or five days I went from having full vision to losing 80 percent of the sight in my left eye," Minichiello said.

"It was a pretty worrying time but the surgery removed 50 per cent of the fluid, which allowed us to go back on the ice and complete our qualification.

"It was just a random thing and one of the hurdles we have had to overcome this season. It has made us more focused.

"We are world champions and that gives us confidence that on our day we can beat anybody in the world."

Minichiello and Cooke are members of a British team set to be the biggest for the Winter Olympics since Albertville in 1992.

The 19 competitors announced Tuesday took Britain's squad to 43 across six sports and 10 disciplines.

Among those included were several skiers including medal prospect Chemmy Alcott despite the British sport's governing body, Snowsports GB, struggling to avoid bankruptcy.

Funding agency UK Sport have set the British team a target of three medals, which would equal their best return from a Winter Olympics since 1936.