Bobsled at the Winter Olympics
Quick Answer
Bobsled (bobsleigh) is one of the original Winter Olympic sports, featured since the first Winter Games in 1924 at Chamonix. There are now four bobsled events at the Winter Olympics — two-man and four-man for men, and two-woman and monobob for women, with the monobob added in 2022.
- Men's bobsled has been on the Winter Olympics program since 1924, the very first Winter Games
- Women's bobsled was added in 2002, with the monobob event introduced in 2022 for equal representation
- At the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, Germany's Johannes Lochner won gold in both the 2-man and 4-man events
Bobsled is one of the 'ice sports' on the Winter Olympic Games program. Men's bobsled has been on the Winter Games program since the first Winter Olympics in 1924, and a women's event was first added in 2002. In 2022, a second women's event was added so there is now an equal number of events for men and women.
bobsled"Bobsled has been a cornerstone of the Winter Olympics since 1924, with the sport evolving from a five-man event to the current four-event format that now includes equal representation for men and women."— Robert Wood, founder of Topend Sports
Pro Tip: The start phase in bobsled is critical — teams sprint and push the sled for about 50 meters before jumping in. Athletes are often recruited from track and field for their explosive sprinting ability.
Events for Milan & Cortina d'Ampezzo 2026
There are four Bobsleigh events at the Winter Olympics, two for men and two for women. The women's monobob event was added to the program for 2022.
Men's Events
- Two-man
- Four-man
Women's Events
- Monobob
- Two woman
Bobsleigh Event Winners at the Milan & Cortina d'Ampezzo 2026 Olympics
Here are the athletes who won gold, silver, and bronze in different Bobsleigh events:
Bobsleigh 2-man
| Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|
| LOCHNER Johannes FLEISCHHAUER Georg |
FRIEDRICH Francesco SCHULLER Alexander |
AMMOUR Adam SCHALLER Alexander |
Bobsleigh 4-man
| Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|
| LOCHNER Johannes MARGIS Thorsten WENZEL Jorn FLEISCHHAUER Georg |
FRIEDRICH Francesco SOMMER Matthias SCHULLER Alexander STRAUB Felix |
VOGT Michael HAAS Andreas NDIAYE Amadou David AEBERHARD Mario |
Bobsleigh 2-woman
| Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|
| NOLTE Laura LEVI Deborah |
BUCKWITZ Lisa SCHUTEN Neele |
ARMBRUSTER HUMPHRIES Kaillie JONES Jasmine |
Bobsleigh Women's Monobob
| Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|
| MEYERS TAYLOR Elana | NOLTE Laura | ARMBRUSTER HUMPHRIES Kaillie |
Historic Double
Germany's Francesco Friedrich made history in Beijing 2022 with his second consecutive Olympic bobsleigh double in both the two-man and four-man events.
Pro Tip: When watching bobsled competitions, pay attention to the start times displayed on screen. A difference of just 0.01 seconds at the start can translate to a margin of 0.03 seconds at the finish, making the push start one of the most decisive moments in the race.
"Germany has consistently been one of the most dominant nations in Olympic bobsled, with their athletes benefiting from world-class training facilities and a strong bobsled federation structure."— Robert J. Wood, sports performance researcher at Topend Sports
Olympic Bobsled Trivia
- In 1928, the bob sled event was a five-man competition. All other years there has been a 4-man event.
- USA bobsledder Tom Doe was just 15 years, 128 days in 1928, where he won a silver medal.
- America's bobsleigh team, led by Billy Fiske, won the gold at the 1932 Lake Placid Games. The team included Eddie Eagan, who was a boxing champion in the 1920 Games. Eagan remains the only person to have won gold medals in both the Summer and Winter Games.
- The Games held in Squaw Valley in 1960 became the only Winter Games event not to include bobsledding, as the organizing committee refused to build an expensive bobsled run for the mere nine nations that would use it.
- In 1988, Jamaica entered its first bobsled team, finishing last in the 4-man event. However, they did inspire a Hollywood film called Cool Runnings.
- In 2002, USA's Vonetta Flowers became the first black athlete to earn a winter Olympic gold medal, doing so in the women's bobsleigh.
- German pilot Francesco Friedrich made history in Beijing 2022, with his second consecutive Olympic bobsleigh double (in the two-man and four-man bobsleigh, in 2018 and 2022)
Cool Runnings
Jamaica's 1988 bobsled team inspired one of the most beloved sports films of all time, bringing global attention to the sport.
"Bobsled remains one of the most thrilling winter sports, combining raw athletic power at the start with precision driving through the ice channel at speeds that can exceed 150 km/h."— Robert Wood, sports science expert and founder of Topend Sports
Frequently Asked Questions
How many bobsled events are at the Winter Olympics?
There are four bobsled events at the Winter Olympics — two-man and four-man for men, and two-woman and monobob for women. The women's monobob was the most recent addition, introduced at the 2022 Beijing Olympics to create equal representation between men's and women's events.
When was bobsled first included in the Winter Olympics?
Men's bobsled has been part of the Winter Olympics since the very first Winter Games held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. It is one of the original Winter Olympic sports. Women's bobsled was first added in 2002 at the Salt Lake City Games.
Who won bobsled gold at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics?
Germany dominated bobsled at the 2026 Olympics. Johannes Lochner won gold in both the 2-man (with Georg Fleischhauer) and 4-man events. Laura Nolte and Deborah Levi won gold in the 2-woman event, while USA's Elana Meyers Taylor won the women's monobob gold.
Has bobsled ever been excluded from the Winter Olympics?
Yes, the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley became the only Winter Games not to include bobsledding. The organizing committee refused to build an expensive bobsled run for the mere nine nations that would have used it.
What is the story behind Jamaica's bobsled team?
In 1988, Jamaica entered its first bobsled team at the Calgary Winter Olympics, finishing last in the 4-man event. Despite the result, the Jamaican team captured global attention and inspired the 1993 Hollywood film Cool Runnings, becoming one of the most beloved stories in Winter Olympic history.
Who is the youngest Olympic bobsled medalist?
USA bobsledder Tom Doe was just 15 years and 128 days old when he won a silver medal at the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, making him one of the youngest medalists in Winter Olympic history.
References
- International Olympic Committee. (2026). Bobsleigh at the Olympic Winter Games. IOC Official Records.
- International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation. (2026). IBSF Competition Results - Milan-Cortina 2026. IBSF Official Records.
- International Olympic Committee. (2022). Beijing 2022 - Bobsleigh Results and Records. IOC Official Report.
- Olympic Channel. (2024). The History of Bobsled at the Winter Olympics. Olympic Channel Editorial.
- Wallechinsky, D. & Loucky, J. (2014). The Complete Book of the Winter Olympics. Aurum Press.
- ESPN. (2022). Francesco Friedrich Makes Olympic Bobsled History in Beijing. ESPN Winter Sports Coverage.
- USA Bobsled & Skeleton. (2026). Team USA Bobsled Olympic History. USABS Official Records.
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