Kelsey Mitchell, a Canadian track cycling gold medallist, has been selected to join Canada’s bobsled team for the upcoming Milan-Cortina Winter Games. This makes her one of only 14 Canadian athletes to have competed in both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. Mitchell expressed her excitement about being part of this exclusive group and the honor it represents.
Clara Hughes remains the only Canadian athlete to have won medals in both the Summer and Winter Games. Mitchell, who participated in cycling at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, transitioned to bobsleigh last year. She shared her insights from past Games, aiming to leverage her experience to support her teammates in navigating the upcoming competition in Cortina.
The 2026 Olympic bobsleigh team comprises 17 athletes, including three alternates. Canada has qualified for multiple events, with three women’s bobsleds and entries in women’s monobob, two-man, and four-man categories. Notable pilots include Melissa Lotholz and Cynthia Appiah, who will lead the women’s sleds and compete in monobob races.
Joining Mitchell as brakewomen are Dawn Richard-Wilson and Skylar Sieben. The team also includes pilot Taylor Austin and former CFL player Jay Dearborn. Furthermore, a group of talented brakemen and alternates from various Canadian cities will contribute to the team’s performance.
In the lead-up to the Games, Mitchell and her teammates are focused on delivering consistent and strong performances. The team’s high-performance director, Jesse Lumsden, emphasized the importance of speed and consistency for success in major competitions. As the team prepares for the Milan-Cortina Winter Games, the goal is to build on past achievements and strive for excellence on the bobsleigh track.