Olympic Bobsledding | 2002 | Winter Olympics | Salt Lake City
History
Sleds that look similar to the modern day bobsled have been raced for more than 200 years. Some historians say the sport started in Switzerland in the late 1800s - but there is also evidence of people racing similar sleds in New York State a few years before that. Bobsledding has been an Olympic event since 1924.
The Events
There are three events in Olympic Bobsledding: two-man, four-man and two-woman. Each team has a driver who is responsible for steering the bobsled and a brakeman who pulls the brake to stop the sled at the end of the race. On the four-man team, there are two pushers who push the sled at the beginning of the race then jump in for the ride. This is the first Winter Olympics where women have competed in the bobsledding race.
Who To Watch
- Todd Hays, USA
- Todd will be driving in both the two-man and four-man and could win medals in both events. He's competing in his first Olympics and is one of the best all around athletes in the world. Todd used to play football for the University of Tulsa and was the USA Kickboxing Champion in 1993.
- Christoph Langen, Germany
- Christoph is the grandpa of bobsledding. He's competing in his fourth Olympics and has three medals, including a gold from the 1998 Olympics in Nagano.
- Susi Erdmann, Germany
-
Susi will be trying to win the first ever Olympic medal in Olympic two-woman bobsled. She won three Olympic medals in luge and three world titles before switching to bobsled in 2000.
For a complete schedule of all the events and everything else you want to know about the 2002 Winter Olympics, click here.
To find out about the Jamaican Bobsled Team, click here.
To go on a virtual bobsled race, click here.
Related Stories:
- Olympic Hockey
- Michelle Kwan
- Useless Olympic Facts
