Winter Olympics: NZ bob sled team in bad crash

Injuries to driver Alan Henderson in a high-speed training crash have forced New Zealand to withdraw their four-man bob sled team from the Winter Olympics.

Henderson, Matt Dallow, Aaron Orangi and Stephen Harrison were on their final training run on the Olympics course when they crashed.

The accident happened at 6.45pm (Turin time), chef de mission Thomas Huppert told NZPA from Turin, Italy, this morning.

Henderson suffered a broken rib and a moderate neck injury that will require him to wear a brace for the next four to five days, Huppert said.

The team was due to race tomorrow.

Dallow suffered bruising, mainly to the shoulders, while Orangi and Harrison were unhurt.

"Because we have only the one driver, the team will be withdrawn from competition scheduled for tomorrow," Huppert said.

The team were gutted but Huppert felt that given the nature of the injuries to Henderson, it was appropriate to withdraw.

The decision had been made by three doctors, including the two New Zealand team doctors.

Henderson was part of the decision, he said.

The accident happened at the second to last turn where speeds reached about 128km/h.

" I understand the sled nudged the wall ... shot across the track and rolled over," Huppert said.

Dallow was being put through a series of tests as the New Zealand team wanted being "super cautious", Huppert said.

Henderson and Dallow finished 23rd in the two-man bob sled event.

- NZPA