(Zhangjiakou ) Canadian Christine de Bruin won the bronze medal in the new monobob event in Yanqing. The gold went to Kaillie Humphries, who left Canada for the United States in recent years, saying she was harassed by her coach.
Updated at 1:14 a.m.
Christine de Bruin completed her four runs in 4:21. After three rounds, she was second in the competition. She slipped to third position after her final descent.
The Edmonton athlete was beaming after his last run. ” It’s fantastic ! The medal is still heavy, but it’s great,” said the 32-year-old bobsledder.
She said the podium would give her confidence heading into the two-man bobsleigh event on February 19.
” [Cette performance] means that I have a very good understanding of the track. With Buj [la Canadienne Kristen Bujnowski], my brakeman behind me, we have a very competitive push. The two together, we should have an excellent result, ”said the one who covets a second Olympic medal at the Beijing Games.
The Canadian was also delighted with the addition of the monobob to the Olympic Games. This new sport now gives an equal chance of medals to women and men. Men have two-man and four-man events; women, in two-man and solo.
” It is a very good thing. Some of the nations are not able to do two-man bobsledding because they don’t have enough women doing the sport. The monobob will be a kind of springboard to attract more women to bobsleigh,” believes de Bruin.
Gold to the ex-Canadian
Kaillie Humphries, who won two gold medals in bobsleigh with Canada, dominated the two days of competition. She finished all four runs 1.54 seconds ahead of her closest rival (and friend), a considerable time in a sport as fast as bobsledding.
At the finish line, the image was striking. The American raised her arms to the sky. In the background, the Canadian team all dressed in red seemed disappointed.
Humphries, who is from Calgary, left Canada to live with her American husband in California in 2016. Saying she was harassed by her coach, she asked to wear the colors of the United States for bobsleigh competitions.
PHOTO THOMAS PETER, REUTERS
Kaillie Humphries
She obtained American citizenship last December, at the very last minute to compete in the Olympics.
Kaillie Humphries thus becomes the first woman to win a medal in four consecutive Olympic Games in bobsleigh. As she stepped onto the podium, the athlete seemed emotional.
“There are a lot of things that crossed my mind. [quand je suis montée sur le podium]. It was quite a journey to get here. It was never guaranteed. It hasn’t always been easy. I had fears and doubts. I had ups and downs. But today, I am proud to have never given up,” she said at a press conference.
She also threw an arrow at Bobsleigh Canada, with whom she is cold. “Knowing that I still have the touch, it’s quite a cool feeling. And it’s heartwarming to bring back a gold medal in a country that has really supported me over the past few years. »
The other American, Elena Meyers Taylor, won silver. At 37, she was the oldest athlete in the competition. She is also the oldest bobsledder to win a bobsleigh medal.
Christine de Bruin and Valentine’s Day
PHOTO THOMAS PETER, REUTERS
Christine de Bruin
Canadian Christine de Bruin forms a couple with the pilot noh 1 of the Netherlands, Ivo de Bruin. He must start on the bobsleigh track, in doubles, at 7 a.m. (Quebec time). After the medal ceremony, de Bruin was asked about her plans for Valentine’s Day. “I thought we could wear red all day,” laughed the athlete. Let’s say that it will be easier to do for her than for him! No kidding, she plans to watch her husband’s race and cheer him on.