NEWPORT’S Mica Moore is appealing for help to keep her Olympic dream alive.

The 24-year-old sprinter-turned-bobsledder, who represented Wales at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, must raise £30,000 to keep her on course to compete for Team GB at the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Moore and her teammates were left shocked this week after it emerged that they were set to lose their funding less than six months before the Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

The British Bobsleigh and Skeleton chiefs revealed on Tuesday that funding for the women's team was being cut due to a lack of medal contention – but cash for the three men's crews will remain.

Driver Mica McNeill, a silver medallist at the 2012 Youth Winter Olympics and 2017 world junior champion, said she was "shocked and devastated" to by the news.

"When they sat us down originally to tell us the women wouldn't be funded because we did not have medal potential, I asked them to explain why we had less chance than the men,” said McNeill.

"I went away and got the data together to show that we were in a good position but to be told it was now up to us to get the money together to try to compete just left us shocked and devastated.

"After all the effort and sacrifices we have put in over the years and after reaching the British Olympic Association's qualifying standard, it is hard to take just because someone has over-spent and mis-managed the budget."

McNeill and team need to finish in the top 30 on the overall World Cup circuit next season in order to ratify her Olympic place.

But they now need to raise the money to compete on the circuit in order to make it to the Games in February next year.

“The news did come as a bit of a shock,” said Moore, who is the number-one rated brakewoman in the British team.

“The Olympics is a dream for everyone in sport and it was in our hands but now it’s been taken away.

“It’s a real shame but we’re hoping we can raise the money and we won’t let this affect our focus on the goal, which is to get to the Olympics.”

McNeill has set up a crowd-funding page at gofundme.com/teammcneill and donations have already topped £19,000.

“Any help we get is greatly appreciated,” said Moore.

“It’s a great start and hopefully it will get us there.”

Moore was hoping for a remarkable double next year by competing at the Winter Olympics in February and at the Commonwealth Games in Australia in April.

But after an injury-hit summer season on the track she’s now fully focused on her bobsleigh career.