Kelsey Mitchell has joined an exclusive group of Canadian athletes who have competed in both the summer and winter Olympic Games. The track cycling gold medalist was announced as part of Canada’s bobsled team for the upcoming Milan-Cortina Winter Games.
Hailing from Sherwood Park, Alberta, the 32-year-old achieved sprint cycling gold in Tokyo in 2021 before being selected as one of Canada’s bobsled brakewomen. Mitchell becomes the sixth bobsledder among the 14 Canadian athletes who have participated in both Winter and Summer Olympic Games.
Expressing her excitement, Mitchell stated, “I think there’s going to be 14 of us now in Canada who have done it, and to be a part of that group is special.” She highlighted the significance of representing Canada in both the summer and winter Olympics, describing the experience as indescribable.
Clara Hughes remains the sole Canadian athlete to claim medals in both the Summer and Winter Games. Mitchell, who also competed in cycling at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, joined the bobsleigh team in the previous year.
Reflecting on her Olympic journey, Mitchell shared, “I’ve learned a lot going to the Games. I have to just tell myself it’s another race, and that’s what it will be in Cortina for me. Hopefully, I can use my wisdom and knowledge from previous Games to support my teammates and navigate the upcoming Games.”
The 2026 Olympic bobsleigh team comprises 17 athletes, including three alternates. Canada secured qualifying spots for three sleds in women’s bobsled and two sleds each in women’s monobob, two-man, and four-man events. Medals in each category are determined by the combined times of four runs at the Cortina Sliding Centre.
Notable team members include Melissa Lotholz of Barrhead, Alberta, and Toronto’s Cynthia Appiah, who will pilot women’s sleds and compete in monobob. Additionally, Bianca Ribi, a Calgary firefighter, secured a spot in the women’s sled team during the final World Cup races of the qualifying period.
Joining Mitchell as brakewomen are Edmonton’s Dawn Richard-Wilson and Skylar Sieben from Cochrane, Alberta. Taylor Austin from Lethbridge, Alberta, will pilot two-man and four-man sleds in his second Olympic appearance, alongside former CFL defensive back Jay Dearborn.
The team also features a strong lineup of brakemen, including Keaton Bruggeling, Yohan Eskrick-Parkinson, Mike Evelyn O’Higgins, Shaq Murray-Lawrence, Luka Stoikos, and Mark Zanette. Niamh Haughey, Eden Wilson, and Chris Holmstead serve as alternates.
Eskrick-Parkinson, who originally represented Jamaica in world diving championships, transitioned to bobsleigh in 2024 to pursue his Olympic aspirations in a different sport. Canadians have amassed 10 Olympic bobsleigh medals since 1964, maintaining a consistent record of winning at least one medal in every Olympic Games since 2006.
Women’s bobsled made its Olympic debut in 2002, with women’s monobob following in 2022. Lotholz and Appiah rank sixth and seventh, respectively, in the world rankings for monobob, with both athletes aiming for a podium finish at the upcoming Winter Games.
Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton high-performance director Jesse Lumsden emphasized the team’s potential, acknowledging past challenges but expressing confidence in the team’s capabilities. Lumsden stressed the importance of speed and consistency in achieving success at the Olympic level.