A talented hurdler, Walker won several state medals in the 400m hurdles before going onto nationals.

After Injury shattered her summer Olympic's dream Bree Walker googled 'Winter sports' and found a new one.

"When I returned from those injuries, I had to ask myself the big question — 'Was I going to represent Australia as a 400m hurdler?'" Walker said.

"And the honest answer was, no."

With her dream of becoming an Olympian hitting a hurdle, a determined Walker decided to explore a different form of running, involving an ice track.

"I googled if we had an Australian bobsleigh team and we did," she said.

"So, I signed up for the talent identification camp and the rest is history."

Podium success

The 29-year-old recently claimed her fourth Monobob World Series medal of the 2021/22 season, with a second straight silver at Sigulda, Latvia.

Last month, Walker, or "Bobsled Bree", as she's affectionately known, won gold in the Monobob World Series race in Winterberg, Germany.

She's now ranked sixth overall in the world series standings and is on track to qualify for her first Winter Olympics at Beijing next month.

"With the monobob, I'm pretty sure I'm close to qualifying," said Walker.

"I've had a fantastic season and I'm really excited."

The one-woman version of bobsleigh, monobob, will make its Winter Olympic debut in Beijing 2022.

The Women's Monobob World Series continues this weekend at Winterberg, where Walker will be aiming for another strong performance.

She'll also compete in the two-woman bobsleigh event with teammate Kiara Reddingius.

With less than two weeks left until qualification is secured for the 2022 Beijing Games, the pair will need a strong finish to boost their chances of an Olympic berth in the two-woman event.

F1 On Ice:

Monobob and bobsleigh aren't for the faint-hearted.

The bobsleigh, which some describe as F1 racing on ice, can reach speeds of up to 150 kilometres per hour, while monobob sleighs can reach speeds of around 120 kph.

While the velocity may terrify some, "Bobsled Bree" thrives on it.

"Sometimes you can't tell how fast you're going but when you see the time, you're like, 'Whoa, that was real fast,'" Walker said.

"It's a real adrenaline rush and just the best feeling."

With the highs, there have been lows and years of sacrifice and uncertainty.

She hasn't seen her family for two years because of COVID-19 restrictions.

Funding for the sport has also been challenging.

"I've had so many challenges thrown at me," Walker said.

"Sometimes my failures can be splashed on TV and that can be hard, but you just have to keep moving forward and grow from that."

Another Olympian in her corner:

Walker credits Jana Pittman as a role model and huge supporter when she transitioned to bobsleigh.

A former bobsleigher and 400m hurdler, Pitman is the first female athlete to have represented Australia at the Winter and Summer Games.

"We always keep in touch and I'm very grateful to have Jana in my corner," she said.

"My determination is inspired by athletes like her."

Australia boasts several talented winter athletes, such as moguls skier Jakara Anthony, who recently won two gold medals at the World Cup in France.

Despite this, Walker feels there are still limited beliefs over Australia as a winter sport nation.

"Australians are doing amazing things in winter sports," she said.

She's calling for more exposure of their success.

"It may inspire others to google a winter sport like I did," she said.

"Maybe, they can go off and achieve their goals and dreams too."

Story By | Daniela Intili