I’m Patrick Castelli, a push athlete with the Australian Bobsleigh Team, training towards the 2026 Winter Olympics. Bobsleigh in Australia receives little central funding and is largely self-funded — meaning we, the individual athletes on the team, must raise our own costs for sleds, travel, uniforms, equipment and training. With your support, I can continue pushing towards the world stage and proudly represent all of you, my friends and family on some of the fastest tracks in sport.

Starting my sporting career as an incredibly average wrestler, I found tremendous success in the world of Strongman. I discovered bobsleigh later in life after stepping away from strongman in 2018, but I was quick to fall in love with the speed, power, and teamwork it bobsleigh demands (not to mention the addictive adrenaline rush). Since then, I’ve committed myself to training six days a week, balancing full-time work with the pursuit of an Olympic debut. After our team narrowly missed out on qualifying for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, this year is certainly a bit of a redemption run.

The road to the Olympics is thrilling but also expensive. A single season on the international circuit can cost over $55,000 AUD per athlete — covering sled costs, race fees, travel and accommodations to Europe and/or North America, and daily training costs while on the road away from home for months at a time. Unlike many sports, there is little government funding, so every step forward depends on our team working full-time around training and community support.

Your contribution, no matter how big or small, will directly fuel my Olympic campaign — helping to open more opportunities for me to push faster and stand at the starting block with the weight of all my supporters behind me.

When I slide down the track near 150km/h, I’ll know I’m incredibly fortunate to be carrying out not just my own dream, but the support and belief of everyone who has backed me along the way. Thank you for joining my journey.