Royal Marine and Great British Bobsleigh Champion Taylor Lawrence has been promoted to Lance Corporal while representing his country at the Bobsleigh World Championships.
Serving his country on and off the ice, Taylor Lawrence was presented his Lance Corporal stripes today at the Bobsleigh World Cup track in Winterberg, Germany.
The first promotion of its kind for an Elite Athlete in the Royal Marines, Taylor is recognised for his contribution to the Royal Navy and the Elite Athlete scheme within the service.
When presented with his promotion Taylor said, ‘To be promoted is such a huge honour. To see that the hard work I have put in, not just in my sporting career, but in my military career has been recognised. I am super proud.'
Joining the Marines as a recruit in 2016, Taylor was recruited to the Royal Navy Bobsleigh team by fellow Marine and Great British Bobsleigh athlete Sgt Adam Baird in 2019 and has been a member of the Royal Navy Elite Athlete programme for the last 3 years.
Taylor became part of the Great British Bobsleigh set up in 2020 and has since helped them to secure multiple podium wins, including Great Britain’s first ever gold medal at the European Championships and breaking their 84-year medal drought at the World Championships.
Lawrence was awarded the promotion from Commanding Officer of HMS Temeraire, Lieutenant Colonel Roly Brading RM. As he presented Lawrence with his stripes, Lt Col Brading wanted to recognise that, ‘Over the last three years as an Elite Athlete, competing at the very highest level, Taylor Lawrence has been an incredible ambassador for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines.’
‘In a sport that demands Commando Spirit in spades, along with the maturity, teamwork, and leadership to excel on an international circuit, it is clear that Taylor is thoroughly deserving of promotion.’
Lawrence has displayed an inspirational dedication to the Royal Navy, Great British and Royal Navy Bobsleigh, demonstrating the transferable skills and core values of a Royal Marine; courage, determination, unselfishness, and cheerfulness in every challenge he encounters.
Taylor said, ‘To be representing the country and the Royal Marines is a huge honour for me. It is not very often that you get to represent your country and your service at the highest level. For me to be able to show what the Royal Navy has to offer for their sportspeople is something I am extremely proud to be doing.’
On the high of his promotion, Taylor will compete alongside his GB team mates in the four-man Bobsleigh World Championships in Winterberg, Germany this weekend. Hoping to repeat last season’s success and secure a gold medal, Taylor said, ‘Obviously being a Lance Corporal now will give me that added bit of motivation and power! There is absolutely no reason that we cannot come away this weekend with a top three, if not, gold medal.”
A proud day that will hopefully become the proudest week yet for LCpl Taylor Lawrence.
