Olympic gold medalist Kaillie Humphries can now bobsled for USA

Kaillie Humphries waving an American fllag for the country she hopes to represent in the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games. Photo: United States Bobsled Skeleton

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Two-time Olympic gold medalist and reigning world champion in women’s bobsled Kaillie Humphries has reached a critical milestone in her path to the 2022 Olympics by gaining full United States citizenship today, which will allow her to represent Team USA in the upcoming games. Humphries will still need to qualify for the team, which is based largely on World Cup points.

Immediately after being sworn in, Humphries said, “I’m more emotional than I thought I would be. Even though you believe in your application and you know it meets the requirements, you don’t know. When she came back in and said ‘Yes, I’m approving your application for citizenship,’ then it was real. It was a long journey, this has been a team effort, and feels amazing to have the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.” Humphries credits her lawyer John Exner and a dedicated group of supporters, who helped guide her application process and lead to the successful result.

The USA Bobsled Olympic Team is expected to be named by January 17, 2022.

“This is great news, and we are very happy that Kaillie will have the opportunity to represent Team USA in Beijing,” said Rick Adams, USOPC chief of sport performance in a statement. “She is already a valuable member of the U.S. bobsled team, competing on the World Cup circuit with her teammates and working toward Olympic qualification. We look forward to her displaying both her skill as a world-class athlete and her dedication to Team USA at the 2022 Games.”

Humphries earned the 2010 and 2014 Olympic gold medals and Olympic bronze in 2018 for Team Canada before she made the transition to Team USA in 2019. Athletes can compete as a green card holder for a nation on the World Cup circuit, and Humphries has earned three world titles since joining USA Bobsled. But representing a country in the Olympic Games requires full naturalized citizenship. Humphries has lived in the United States since 2016, where she married her husband, American Travis Armbruster.

The application process for Humphries faced uncertain time frames due to the slow-downs around the Coronavirus, which impacted necessary in-person meeting dates and the general complications around processing faced by many with applications pending during this period. Humphries was able to complete her meeting and swearing-in ceremony on December 2, having to return to San Diego from Germany where the team is currently competing, and will immediately fly back in order to race in Altenberg, Germany this weekend to continue her qualification for the USA Bobsled Olympic Team.

“The process of obtaining citizenship in time to compete at the upcoming Olympic Winter Games has been a focus of Kaillie’s for the last several years,” said USA Bobsled/Skeleton CEO Aron McGuire, in a statement. “We are excited that she will have the opportunity to be part of an amazing team of women who will get the chance to represent the United States in Beijing this winter.”

Support for Humphries came from USA Bobsled/Skeleton, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, and members of Congress including Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif), and Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).

“I am thrilled to know that Kaillie is finally an American citizen and can compete for Team USA at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Kaillie did everything she was supposed to do to earn her citizenship, and my staff and I were very proud to assist her throughout that process, “ said Rep. Mike Levin, who represents the district where Humphries resides.