Georgie Cohen has set her sights on becoming Israel’s first-ever female skeleton athlete to compete at a Winter Olympic Games. But there is one obstacle that stands in her way: lack of funds.
The 32-year-old Cambridge-born Israeli athlete is asking for help in her bid to qualify for a spot at the Games in Beijing next year. She has set up a Go Fund Me page and is hoping to raise £85,000 over the next season to pay for equipment, coaching salaries, logistics and more.
“You could say that my biggest sponsors have been my family so far, but I’m really excited that this past season I have managed to welcome sponsors on board,” she told the JC.
To reach February’s Winter Games, Cohen will have to rank among the world’s top 25 in the skeleton. Qualification begins in October and lasts until January, with eight races leading to the final ranking.
“We’ve got quite a short window of time to go and take part in different qualification races all over north America and Europe,” she said. “Obviously, coronavirus will pose an additional challenge as it has done this past season, but I will be prepared.” Her first experience of the sport in 2014 “really captivated her” and soon developed into “more than just a hobby”.
“The first time getting on the sled, overcoming the initial fear and just wanting to go on again and again,” she said. “I was working full-time, I took holiday and was paying my own way, doing it as a passion for fun.”
Then she made Aliyah in 2018 and “it all came together at once”, she added. “I was introduced to the Israeli bobsleigh skeleton team and everything took off from there. It’s been an absolute whirlwind and amazing life adventure.”
She became in 2019 Israel’s first woman skeleton racer to slide at the World Championships, a feat she said will stay with her “forever.”
Ms Cohen’s Olympic dream is partly inspired by her late grandfather’s legacy. Maurice Cohen was a “great sportsman” whose family originated from Iraq and Iran and migrated to India.
He was captain of India’s water polo team and qualified for a spot at the 1936 Summer Olympic Games in Berlin but was prevented from competing.
“He always contested the decision and I think it was a big regret, but he was held back for his safety.
“I think that it’s really… a great legacy to be chasing to be able to go and represent Israel, a place that’s very special to all of us and it’s a challenge I’m ready to stand up and face,” she said.
Israel set up a national bobsleigh and skeleton team in 2002 and was represented at the Winter Olympics in 2018 by athlete AJ Edelman, who achieved a 28th place finish.
www.gofundme.com/f/support-georgina-cohen-skeleton-athlete
