Cynthia Appiah facts for kids
Appiah in Innsbruk-Igls, Austria during the 2020-2021 FIBT IBSF World Cup Circuit
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Cynthia Appiah Serwaah |
| Born | May 15, 1990 North York, Ontario, Canada |
| Alma mater | York University |
| Height | 1.73 m |
| Weight | 79 kg |
| Other interests | Jeopardy Track & Field |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Bobsleigh Monobob Track & Field |
| Position | Brake-woman(2014-2018) Pilot (2018-pr) |
| Event(s) | shot put, hammer, discus, bobsleigh, Monobob |
| Turned pro | 2015 |
Cynthia Appiah (born May 15, 1990) is a Canadian bobsledder. She started competing in the sport in 2014. Cynthia first raced in the World Cup in 2016.
In 2018, she changed her role to become a pilot, which means she steers the bobsled. She made her World Cup debut as a pilot in the 2019/2020 season. At the 2021 IBSF World Championships in Germany, Cynthia finished fifth in monobob and ninth in two-woman bobsleigh.
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Early Life and Sports
Cynthia Appiah was born on May 15, 1990, in North York, Ontario, Canada. Her parents, James and Mary Appiah, moved to Canada from Ghana.
Cynthia started her sports journey at age 8. She joined the Toronto Blue Jays Rookie League. This program helps young people in Toronto's communities. Cynthia said she was "pretty terrible" at first but still had lots of fun.
Cynthia's Sports Career
Cynthia Appiah officially began her journey in top-level sports in 2008. She moved from local competitions to national ones. She was a track & field athlete for York University. She was very good at throwing events like the hammer throw and shot put.
In 2011, she went to a test camp for Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton (BCS). This camp happened to be at her university. She did well at the camp. However, she decided not to join the training camp right away. She wanted to finish her degree first. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in history with a minor in Psychology. Cynthia kept in touch with BCS for her return to bobsleigh. She competed for York University from 2008 to 2013. In her last year, she was named Athlete of the Year (2012–2013).
As a Bobsleigh Brakewoman
In the 2013–2014 season, Cynthia had a great first year on the World Cup circuit. She was a brakewoman. A brakewoman helps push the bobsled at the start and pulls the brake at the end. She helped two-time Olympic champion Kaillie Humphries win a gold and a bronze medal. She also helped new pilot Alysia Rissling win her first World Cup bronze medal.
Cynthia was excellent as a brakewoman. She had fast pushes and won medals at different levels. She moved up from local races to the North America's Cup circuit, and then to the World Cup circuit. Before the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Cynthia was the best brakewoman in the BCS program. Even so, she was chosen as an alternate for the Olympic team. This meant she would not officially compete in the Olympics.
Becoming a Bobsleigh Pilot
After the 2018 Olympics, Cynthia thought about quitting bobsleigh. But she decided to give it another try, this time as a pilot. The pilot is the person who steers the bobsled down the track. Cynthia used her disappointment from the Olympics to push herself. She wanted to have more control over reaching her Olympic goals.
With this new goal, Cynthia went back to Lake Placid. She started her bobsleigh career again from the beginning. She went to a driver's school. She practiced steering a sled on the Development Bobsleigh Team. Less than a year after becoming a pilot, Cynthia set a new "start record" in 2019. This record was for how fast she could push the sled from the pilot bar. Later that year, she received the L. Lamont Gordon Award. This award is given to an athlete who shows the spirit of Team Canada.
In January 2022, Cynthia Appiah was chosen for Canada's 2022 Olympic team.
Personal Life
Cynthia Appiah lives in Toronto. She is the daughter of Ghanaian-Canadian immigrants. She has one older brother and two younger sisters.
Activism
Cynthia Appiah believes that sports can help people's lives. She works as an ambassador for several groups:
- The Jays Care Foundation: This is the charity part of the Toronto Blue Jays. It offers sports programs for young people across Canada.
- Fast and Female: This Canadian charity helps girls aged 8–14 stay healthy and active in sports.
- Classroom Champions: This group connects Olympic and Paralympic athletes with classrooms. They teach social and emotional skills to inspire students.
