Jay O'Brien (bobsleigh) facts for kids
O'Brien in 1924
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| Born | 1883 | ||||||||||||||||
| Died | 1940 (aged 57) | ||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Jay James O'Brien (born February 22, 1883 – died April 5, 1940) was an American athlete. He was famous for competing in bobsledding. Bobsledding is a winter sport where teams race down icy tracks in a special sled. Jay O'Brien won two medals at the Winter Olympics. He was also known for being the oldest Olympic champion at 48 years old.
Jay O'Brien: An Olympic Bobsled Star
Jay O'Brien showed great skill in bobsledding. He competed in the Winter Olympics in the late 1920s and early 1930s.
Olympic Medals and Milestones
O'Brien earned two Olympic medals during his career. His first medal was a silver. He won it at the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland. This was in the five-man bobsled event.
Four years later, he achieved even greater success. At the 1932 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, he won a gold medal. This gold was in the four-man bobsled event. What makes this even more special is that he was 48 years old at the time. This made him the oldest person to ever win an Olympic gold medal.
Beyond the Bobsled Track
Besides being a bobsledder, Jay O'Brien had other interests. He was also a jockey, which is someone who rides horses in races.
He played an important role in the sport of bobsledding. At the time of the 1932 Winter Olympics, he was the head of the United States Olympic Bobsled Committee. This meant he helped organize and manage the American bobsled teams.
Jay O'Brien passed away in 1940 due to a heart attack. He left behind a legacy as a remarkable athlete and Olympic champion.
