Nicola Minichiello (nee Gautier) represented Team GB in the women's bobsleigh with Gillian Cooke at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. The Vancouver Games were Minichiello's third Olympic Games.  Minichiello and Cooke were placed 10th after their first two runs, however, a crash in the third run left Cooke with an injured leg and damage to their sled they did not compete in the forth run.

Cooke and Minichiello became the first British women to win the bobsleigh World Championships in 2009.

Now a teacher, she is also a student at Sheffield Hallam University, where she is studying for a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education. 

Before taking up the sport she competed internationally as a heptathlete, finishing 16th in the 2001 Universiade in Beijing. At one point in her career she ranked third in Britain behind 2000 Olympic Champion Denise Lewis and Julie Hollman.