Rosen ready for lift-off
GB luge star aiming to become a pilot after PyeongChang 2018
WINTER OLYMPICS Adam Rosen is used to living life in the fast lane. The 33-year-old confirmed this week that he will retire from the sport immediately after the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games to become a pilot.
Rosen will represent what will be the largest-ever GB team to compete at the Winter Olympics in the luge event.
“These will be my third and final Winter Olympics,” remarked Rosen. “It’s always an honour to represent GB and I am looking to bow out with a bang and claim my best-ever finish.”
Nicknamed AJ, Rosen finished the luge competition in 16th place in Turin in 2006 and also in Vancouver in 2010. He also holds the British record for the best-ever luge finish, placing sixth at the Calgary World Cup in 2009. But he insists he is not setting any particular targets in South Korea.
“I missed the Winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014 due to back problems which prevented me from fulfilling the criteria. My preparations are going well this time and I’m feeling good.
“I believe my sliding has improved dramatically over the second half of the season and I was pleased with my form at a recent GB training camp in Germany. I’m feeling a lot better and this is the right time to be peaking.
“We’ve also received additional funding this time, which is very important in terms of resources and definitely helps us improve.”
Asked where he sees himself finishing, Rosen replied: “It is hard to set targets until I see the standard of opposition. I want to slide to the best of my ability.
“I believe my experience of competing in the luge doubles has helped me in terms of my positioning, form and steering natural lines.”
Born in America, Rosen hopes “to visit the Chabad” in Korea, where he will be supported by his younger brother.
“My family have always been very supportive of me and proud of my accomplishments in the sport. But
both of my parents will be watching on television from New York,” he commented.
Rosen admits picking up injuries is part and parcel of the extreme sport and said: “I had a bad crash on the famous Whistler course before the Vancouver Olympics. I dislocated my hip and damaged a nerve in my leg. It was really scary as I lost the feeling in one foot for a short period of time.
“I know the luge is a dangerous sport and there’s always a possibility of hurting yourself but that’s why it is important to train as often as possible.” One of 59 athletes in the GB squad, Rosen recalls meeting Princess Anne at his two previous Winter Olympics — describing it as “an amazing honour to meet her”.
Asked what the future holds after PyeongChang, Rosen commented: “I plan to go to flight school in Southampton and want to become a commercial pilot. I used to fly planes and it’s something I want to do again.
“My grandfather was a rabbi, who was in the US Air Force and the highest ranking Jewish officer in it at that time. He was a chaplain, and is included in a memorial in Arlington National Cemetery of Jewish Chaplains who died during service.”
It’s a dangerous sport with a risk of injury