Team USA take gold and silver in Olympic monobob’s debut

Team USA's Kaillie Humphries won gold. And Elana Meyers Taylor won silver in the inaugural Olympic monobob race in Beijing. Photo: USA Bobsled Skeleton

BEIJING — USA’s Kaillie Humphries won gold in Olympic monobob, teammate Elana Meyers Taylor took silver and Canada got the bronze today in the 2022 Games. 

Humphries set a track record on day one with a combined time of 2:09.10. She was in front and her teammate-rival Meyers Taylor was in 4th with Canada and Germany, respectively between them after run two. Run three found Meyers Taylor gaining one spot, putting Germany in 4th. Meyer’s Taylor then climbed up one more spot into 2nd place with the acumen of her fourth and final run down the Beijing track.

After today’s race, Humphries said she was happy to bring her medal back to the USA for Team USA and Meyers Taylor said,

“I’m glad I could win the first medal from the Isolation Hotel.”

Humphries was born in Canada and competed for Canada previously in the Olympics. In December, Humphries received her United States citizenship with the help of lobbying assistance from Utah Senators Mitt Romney and Mike Lee following a training methodology chasm between her and the Canadian coaching staff.

The Beijing Olympic inaugural monobob is a one-person bobsled; started, piloted, and braked solo by one athlete. It’s only a women’s sports discipline and with its addition to the Olympic program this year, women can now earn up to two medals in bobsled just like the men always have.

Two-person women’s Olympic bobsledding will be held on Friday. It will include Salt Lake City’s Kaysha Love.