Francesco Friedrich (front) and Martin Grothkopp of Germany compete during the two-man bobsleigh event at the IBSF World Cup Bobsleigh and Skeleton series, in Sigulda, Latvia, Feb. 15, 2020. (Photo by Edijs Palens/Xinhua)
Bobsleigh competitions at Beijing 2022 will begin on Sunday. German legend Francesco Friedrich is the top favorite in the two-man and four-man events while newly-introduced women's monobob is an open competition for the riders.
by sportswriters Yao Youming, Wu Kunpeng
YANQING, Beijing, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- As the bobsleigh competition at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games kicks off on Sunday, German legend Francesco Friedrich is the odds-on favorite in the two-man and four-man events.
Elana Meyers Taylor of the United States is a potential title contender in the two-woman competition, but the added women's monobob event will be a wide open race.
Friedrich has grabbed four consecutive overall championship titles in the two-man and four-man events at the IBSF World Cup since the 2018-19 season, and the 31-year-old won 14 of 16 games in the 2021-22 season. The double gold winner at the 2018 Winter Games is expected to witness a smooth title defense campaign at the National Sliding Center at Beijing 2022.
Justin Kripps of Canada, Russian Olympic Committee pilot Rostislav Gaitiukevich, Oskars Kibermanis of Latvia and Johannes Lochner of Germany are also podium favorites. Kripps, who tied with Friedrich for the two-man gold at the PyeongChang 2018, needs to keep himself and his mates consistent in these days for a win in Yanqing.
Kibermanis' team is the only one to defeat Friedrich's in the four-man event at the 2021-22 season World Cup. After finishing 10th in the event four years ago, they hope to reach the Olympic podium for the first time.
Oskars Kibermanis (front) and Matiss Miknis of Latvia compete during the two-man bobsleigh event at the IBSF World Cup Bobsleigh and Skeleton series, in Sigulda, Latvia, Feb. 15, 2020. (Photo by Edijs Palens/Xinhua)
Taylor is one of gold favorites among women's elite bobsledders, but missed out on training due to isolation after contracting COVID-19.
"It wasn't ideal definitely, not the greatest, particularly because this is a very technically challenging track," said the 37-year-old.
Taylor anticipated many fierce competitors in the monobob, including Breena Walker of Australia and the Canadian duo of Cynthia Appiah and Christine De Bruin.
Just a year after practicing bobsleigh for the first time, Laura Nolte of Germany won the monobob title at the Lillehammer 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games. She also won the two-woman junior world championships and senior European championships in 2021, before taking two bronzes in the monobob and two-woman events at the world championships.
China's national bobsleigh team was founded in 2016. For the host nation's competitors, it will be a long shot to reach the podium. ■
