Bobsleigh at the Winter Olympics facts for kids
Bobsleigh is an event in the Winter Olympic Games where a two- or four-person team drives a specially designed sled down an ice track, with the winning team completing the route with the fastest time. The event has been featured since the first Winter Games in 1924 in Chamonix, France, with the exception of the 1960 games in Squaw Valley when the organizing committee decided not to build a track in order to reduce expenses. Other than that exception, the four-man competition has been competed at every game (in 1928, it was a five-man competition). The two-man event was introduced at the 1932 Lake Placid games and a two-woman event was first contested at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.
Events
Event | 24 | 28 | 32 | 36 | 48 | 52 | 56 | 60 | 64 | 68 | 72 | 76 | 80 | 84 | 88 | 92 | 94 | 98 | 02 | 06 | 10 | 14 | 18 | 22 | Years |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Four-man | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 23 | |
Two-man | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 21 | |||
Two-woman | • | • | • | • | • | • | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||
Women's monobob | • | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Total events | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
Medal leaders
Athletes who have won multiple medals (including at least one gold) are listed below.
Men
Athlete | NOC | Event | Olympics | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kevin Kuske | Germany (GER) | 4-man 2-man |
2002–2018 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
André Lange | Germany (GER) | 4-man 2-man |
2002–2010 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
Francesco Friedrich | Germany (GER) | 4-man 2-man |
2018-2022 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
Thorsten Margis | Germany (GER) | 4-man 2-man |
2018-2022 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
Bernhard Germeshausen | East Germany (GDR) | 4-man 2-man |
1976–1980 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
Meinhard Nehmer | East Germany (GDR) | 4-man 2-man |
1976–1980 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
Wolfgang Hoppe | East Germany (GDR) Germany (GER) |
4-man 2-man |
1984–1994 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
Eugenio Monti | Italy (ITA) | 4-man 2-man |
1956, 1964–1968 |
2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
Donat Acklin | Switzerland (SUI) | 4-man 2-man |
1992–1994 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Gustav Weder | Switzerland (SUI) | 4-man 2-man |
1992–1994 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Markus Zimmermann | Germany (GER) | 4-man 2-man |
1992–2002 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Dietmar Schauerhammer | East Germany (GDR) | 4-man 2-man |
1984–1988 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Christoph Langen | Germany (GER) | 4-man 2-man |
1992, 1998–2002 |
2 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
Candy Bauer | Germany (GER) | 4-man | 2018-2022 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Luciano De Paolis | Italy (ITA) | 4-man 2-man |
1968 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Billy Fiske | United States (USA) | 4-man 5-man |
1928–1932 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Clifford Gray | United States (USA) | 4-man 5-man |
1928–1932 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Olaf Hampel | Germany (GER) | 4-man | 1994–1998 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Lorenz Nieberl | West Germany (FRG) | 4-man 2-man |
1952 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Andreas Ostler | West Germany (FRG) | 4-man 2-man |
1952 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Bogdan Musiol | East Germany (GDR) Germany (GER) |
4-man 2-man |
1980–1992 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 7 |
Joseph Benz | Switzerland (SUI) | 4-man 2-man |
1976–1980 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
Bernhard Lehmann | East Germany (GDR) | 4-man 2-man |
1976, 1984–1988 |
1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
Erich Schärer | Switzerland (SUI) | 4-man 2-man |
1976–1980 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
Steven Holcomb | United States (USA) | 4-man 2-man |
2010–2014 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
Patrick Martin | United States (USA) | 4-man 2-man |
1948–1952 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
Wolfgang Zimmerer | West Germany (FRG) | 4-man 2-man |
1972–1976 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
Joseph Beerli | Switzerland (SUI) | 4-man 2-man |
1936 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Hans-Jürgen Gerhardt | East Germany (GDR) | 4-man 2-man |
1980 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Pierre Lueders | Canada (CAN) | 2-man | 1994–2006 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Kurt Meier | Switzerland (SUI) | 4-man | 1988–1994 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Jay O'Brien | United States (USA) | 4-man 5-man |
1928–1932 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Martin Putze | Germany (GER) | 4-man | 2006–2010 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Curtis Tomasevicz | United States (USA) | 4-man | 2010–2014 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Beat Hefti | Switzerland (SUI) | 4-man 2-man |
2002–2016, 2014 |
1 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
Oskars Melbārdis | Latvia (LAT) | 4-man 2-man |
2014–2018 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
Peter Utzschneider | West Germany (FRG) | 4-man 2-man |
1972–1976 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
Jean Wicki | Switzerland (SUI) | 4-man 2-man |
1968–1972 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
Carsten Embach | Germany (GER) | 4-man | 1994–2002 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Edy Hubacher | Switzerland (SUI) | 4-man 2-man |
1972 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Günther Huber | Italy (ITA) | 2-man | 1994–1998 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Jānis Ķipurs | Soviet Union (URS) | 4-man 2-man |
1988 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Andreas Kirchner | East Germany (GDR) | 4-man | 1980–1984 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Vladimir Koslov | Soviet Union (URS) | 4-man 2-man |
1988 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Justin Kripps | Canada (CAN) | 4-man 2-man |
2018–2022 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Jānis Strenga | Latvia (LAT) | 4-man 2-man |
2014–2018 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Roland Wetzig | East Germany (GDR) | 4-man | 1980–1984 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Women
Athlete | NOC | Event | Olympics | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kaillie Humphries | Canada (CAN) United States (USA) |
2-woman | 2010–2022 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
Heather Moyse | Canada (CAN) | 2-woman | 2010–2014 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Sandra Kiriasis | Germany (GER) | 2-woman | 2002–2010 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Mariama Jamanka | Germany (GER) | 2-woman | 2018–2022 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Elana Meyers Taylor has more Olympic bobsleigh medals than any other woman, but lacks a gold; her five medals comprise three silver and two bronze from 2010 through 2022.
Medal table
Sources (after the 2022 Winter Olympics):
Accurate as of 2022 Winter Olympics.
Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Germany (GER) | 16 | 9 | 7 | 32 |
2 | Switzerland (SUI) | 10 | 10 | 11 | 31 |
3 | United States (USA) | 8 | 11 | 9 | 28 |
4 | East Germany (GDR) | 5 | 5 | 3 | 13 |
5 | Canada (CAN) | 5 | 2 | 4 | 11 |
6 | Italy (ITA) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 12 |
7 | West Germany (FRG) | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
8 | Austria (AUT) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
9 | Great Britain (GBR) | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
10 | Latvia (LAT) | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
Soviet Union (URS) | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | |
12 | Belgium (BEL) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Russia (RUS) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
14 | South Korea (KOR) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
15 | France (FRA) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Romania (ROU) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
Totals (16 entries) | 53 | 50 | 51 | 154 |
Number of bobsledders by nation
Nation | 24 | 28 | 32 | 36 | 48 | 52 | 56 | 60 | 64 | 68 | 72 | 76 | 80 | 84 | 88 | 92 | 94 | 98 | 02 | 06 | 10 | 14 | 18 | Years | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
American Samoa (ASA) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | ||
Argentina (ARG) | – | 10 | – | – | 4 | 4 | – | 5 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | ||
Armenia (ARM) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | 2 | – | – | – | – | 2 | ||
Australia (AUS) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 5 | 2 | 4 | 4 | – | 4 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 9 | ||
Austria (AUT) | – | 10 | 2 | 12 | – | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 21 | ||
Belgium (BEL) | 5 | 10 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 6 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | 4 | 12 | ||
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 5 | 5 | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | ||
Brazil (BRA) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | 4 | – | 6 | 4 | 5 | ||
Bulgaria (BUL) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 5 | 5 | 2 | – | 2 | – | – | – | – | 4 | ||
Canada (CAN) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 16 | ||
China (CHN) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 6 | 2 | ||
Chinese Taipei (TPE) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | – | – | – | – | 6 | ||
Croatia (CRO) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | 4 | 5 | – | 4 | 4 | ||
Czech Republic (CZE) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 8 | ||
Czechoslovakia (TCH) | – | – | – | 8 | 4 | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | – | 6 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | ||
France (FRA) | 8 | 10 | 2 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 4 | – | 10 | 6 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 9 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 5 | – | 8 | 5 | 19 | ||
East Germany (GDR) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | ||
West Germany (FRG) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 8 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 6 | ||
United Team of Germany (EUA) | – | – | – | – | – | – | 10 | 9 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | ||
Germany (GER) | – | 10 | 9 | 10 | – | 6 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 12 | 12 | 9 | 13 | 14 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 13 | ||
Great Britain (GBR) | 8 | 10 | – | 4 | 10 | – | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 22 | ||
Greece (GRE) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 4 | 2 | – | – | – | – | 3 | ||
Hungary (HUN) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 4 | 7 | 4 | – | – | – | 4 | ||
Ireland (IRL) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | – | 5 | 2 | – | 2 | – | – | 4 | ||
Italy (ITA) | 10 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 23 | ||
Jamaica (JAM) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 2 | – | – | 2 | 2 | 8 | ||
Japan (JPN) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 4 | – | 12 | ||
Latvia (LAT) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 9 | ||
Liechtenstein (LIE) | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | ||
Luxembourg (LUX) | – | 5 | – | 4 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | ||
Mexico (MEX) | – | 5 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | 7 | – | – | 2 | – | – | – | – | 4 | ||
Monaco (MON) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 | ||
Netherlands (NED) | – | 5 | – | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | – | 8 | 8 | 4 | 6 | – | 9 | ||
Netherlands Antilles (AHO) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | ||
New Zealand (NZL) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 5 | – | – | 2 | 4 | 4 | – | – | – | 4 | ||
Nigeria (NGR) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 1 | ||
Norway (NOR) | – | – | – | – | 8 | 9 | 4 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | 4 | 4 | – | – | – | – | 6 | ||
Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 10 | 1 | ||
Poland (POL) | – | 5 | – | – | – | – | 6 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 8 | ||
Portugal (POR) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 5 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | ||
Puerto Rico (PUR) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | 5 | 5 | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | ||
ROC (ROC_2020) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | ||
Romania (ROU) | – | 10 | 4 | 9 | – | – | 8 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 20 | ||
Russia (RUS) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 6 | 6 | 10 | 11 | 17 | 16 | – | 6 | ||
San Marino (SMR) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | ||
Serbia (SRB) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | 2 | – | 2 | ||
Serbia and Montenegro (SCG) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | – | – | – | – | 1 | ||
Slovakia (SVK) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | – | 5 | ||
South Korea (KOR) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | 10 | 6 | 4 | ||
Soviet Union (URS) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8 | 10 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | ||
Spain (ESP) | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | – | 9 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | ||
Sweden (SWE) | – | – | – | – | – | 9 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | – | 4 | – | 2 | – | – | – | – | 11 | ||
Switzerland (SUI) | 8 | 10 | 4 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 23 | ||
Trinidad and Tobago (TRI) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | 3 | – | – | – | – | 4 | ||
Ukraine (UKR) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | 2 | 5 | – | – | – | – | 4 | ||
Unified Team (EUN) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 9 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | ||
United States (USA) | – | 10 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 13 | 12 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 22 | ||
Virgin Islands (ISV) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | – | – | – | – | 5 | ||
Yugoslavia (YUG) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 9 | 2 | 5 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | ||
Nations | 5 | 14 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 13 | - | 11 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 16 | 23 | 25 | 30 | 28 | 34 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 23 | 56 |
Bobsledders | 39 | 115 | 41 | 99 | 71 | 71 | 93 | - | 81 | 90 | 79 | 93 | 78 | 111 | 135 | 159 | 155 | 156 | 195 | 150 | 159 | 169 | 164 | 165 | 1,961 |
Year | 24 | 28 | 32 | 36 | 48 | 52 | 56 | 60 | 64 | 68 | 72 | 76 | 80 | 84 | 88 | 92 | 94 | 98 | 02 | 06 | 10 | 14 | 18 | 22 |
See also
In Spanish: Bobsleigh en los Juegos Olímpicos para niños
- List of Olympic venues in bobsleigh