Best British Winter Olympics finish 'cherry on top' for bobsleigh ace Mica Moore

Brakewoman Moore, from Newport, and driver McNeill finished eighth in Pyeongchang, bettering the ninth achieved by fellow Brits Nicola Minichiello and Jackie Davies in Turin 12 years ago.

They had started today sixth and in contention for an unexpected medal, but despite dropping two places the duo were more than happy with their record-breaking performance.

“It feels amazing, we are so happy” said 25-year-old Moore. “We came into this just wanting to enjoy the experience because it’s both our first Games and we’ve come away with an eighth.

“It’s more than we could have ever hoped for and we’re just so happy.

“It’s been a crazy few months and this has just been the cherry on top – we’ve enjoyed it so much.”

Their campaign was all the more impressive considering that five months before they flew out to South Korea their funding had been withdrawn by the British Bobsleigh & Skeleton Association.

Having laid down a solid pair of slides on day one of competition, the two Micas were lying just 0.16 seconds behind third place with two runs to go.

Heat three saw them drop down the standings from their overnight position, a time of 51.16 seconds virtually ending any hopes of snatching bronze or better.

Their final run was fractionally slower at 51.19secs, but Moore and McNeill had done enough to usurp Minichiello and Davies’ result from 2006.

McNeill, 24, who raised nearly £50,000 through a crowdfunding website to get her sled to the Games, said: “We said before we came here that we wanted to enjoy it, we’d love a single-figure result like ninth or above, and we’ve done that.

“Obviously we were in the mix but I'm not comfortable on this track and I had a couple of mistakes in my driving, but we have to be happy.

"Five months ago we didn't even know if we’d even be here so to get here is an achievement in itself.

“We’ve loved every minute of it and we want to say thank you to everyone who has supported us.”

Speaking about the governing body’s decision to cut the funding for women’s bobsleigh, she added: “It’s one of those things. They made their decision and then new people came in and they had to stick by it.

"We will be back in four years’ time and you’ll see us in amongst it.

“I really hope we don't have to ask the people (for funding) again, we don’t want to be powered by the people anymore, as great as it has been.

“We want them to just be able to watch us and enjoy it and not have to help us out again.”