Priscilla Lopes-Schliep to pair with Kaillie Humphries in bobsleigh
Olympic bobsleigh queen Kaillie Humphries has found her latest breakman: Beijing hurdles medallist Priscilla Lopes-Schliep.
According to Lori Ewing and this Canadian Press article the formidable team will combine as early as a World Cup shortly after Christmas.
And Humphries, who won the last two Olympics with Heather Moyse, has bigger aspirations for the partnership with Lopes-Schliep, “What I would absolutely love is for her to be in my sled the Olympic year [2018],” Humphries told Ewing. “And I’m going to set her up the very best that I can in order to do that.”
Lopes-Schliep, now 33-years-old, won Olympic bronze in the 100m hurdles at Beijing 2008. She missed the Games in 2012 after a mishap at trials.
Lopes-Schliep in the final of the women’s 100m hurdles at Beijing 2008.
The start, or first 50 metres of a bobsleigh run is crucial. The brakeman is usually someone able to create a tremendous amount of power, like a world-class sprinter or football running back. For this purpose, if she is still fit, Lopes-Schliep is ideal.
The 30-year-old Humphries is on a tear since Sochi, named Lou Marsh Award winner for 2014 she also succeeded in lobbying bobsleigh’s governing body to relax gender rules, allowing women pilots in four-man competition.
Bobsled pilot Kaillie Humphries, left, gestures as she talks with her male teammates following a training run at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Now it appears Humphries hasn’t forgotten about the two-man event that launched her to legendary status. It’ll be exciting to see what this duo can do.
