Explainer | Winter Olympics: what is bobsleigh? Everything you need to know, from Beijing 2022 contenders to origins and ‘Cool Runnings’ influence
- One of the most intense sports at the Games, bobsleigh could again steal the show
- Beijing will see introduction of a new women’s event, with Germany looking to continue domination from Pyeongchang
Popularised by the classic 1993 film Cool Runnings, bobsleigh is one of the most iconic sports at the Winter Olympics.
With athletes reaching speeds of up to 150 kilometres per hour as they hurtle down the ice, the event will once again be one of the most intense on show in the Beijing 2022 programme.
What is bobsleigh?
Bobsleigh is a winter sport where athletes push a sleigh down an ice track and compete to reach the finish line in the fastest time. It is one of the three sliding sports on the Beijing Winter Games programme, alongside luge and skeleton.
The sleighs are made with a combination of steel, fibreglass or carbon fibre.
Athletes begin their runs by pushing their sleighs for up to 50 metres before crew members hop on board. They will then barrel down the track as the driver, who sits at the front, steers the sleigh for the fastest possible trajectory.
A fast and well-coordinated start is important, as competitions are won or lost within a few hundredths of a second.
