Brad Hall delivered a brilliant first run of 54.39 seconds to place Team GB third in the four-man bobsleigh at Cortina, but a costly drop in the second run left them seventh overall, just 0.23 seconds off the bronze medal position.

Team GB's hopes now hinge on the final two heats, though they face a significant challenge from the dominant German teams occupying the top three spots. Hall, the most successful British pilot in World Cup history, has guided his team to a world championship silver and a European title in recent years, securing a crucial funding boost from UK Sport after previous cuts.

Training conditions in Cortina proved difficult, with the team struggling on five of six runs due to a slower track surface caused by rising temperatures following a delay for a crash incident. Their current time of 1:49:43 is a stark contrast to their promising first run and the 55.04-second second run, which was only the 12th quickest.

Team GB have not won an Olympic bobsleigh medal since Sochi 2014, making this race a critical opportunity for their first podium finish in 12 years.