Kaillie Humphries finishes off historic bobsled sweep
Kaillie Humphries wasn't sure if she would get a chance to race this season.
She ended up on top of the world — twice. Humphries ended her international season Sunday by winning the inaugural women's monobob world championship in Altenberg, Germany, adding that gold medal to the one she and Lolo Jones claimed on the same track last weekend.
Humphries becomes the obvious gold-medal favorite going into the Olympic season, with two medal events — now with monobob included — awaiting women's bobsledders at next winter's Beijing Games for the first time.
“To be able to end on a high, I really just continue to think that I am so grateful to be here,” Humphries said. “To be representing the United States and to be able to compete is such a huge honor. And I'm excited to go home and see my husband and my dog.”
Moments later, she hopped atop the medal stand amid a backdrop of snow-covered evergreen trees, wrapped herself in the American flag, then put her right hand over her heart as “The Star-Spangled Banner” cut through the frosty air.
It was her fifth world championship, her third in as many tries since getting her release from the Canadian program and beginning to slide for the United States in 2019. If Humphries — a two-time Olympic gold medalist who is married to an American and now calls San Diego home — is going to race for the U.S. in next winter's Beijing Games, she needs to obtain citizenship in the coming months.
Humphries' final time for four runs over two days was 3 minutes, 59.62 seconds — a half-second better than anyone else. She had the fastest time in each of the final three heats, a track-record time of 59.47 seconds in the final run clinching gold.
“We just saved the best for last," Humphries said.
Germany and Canada took the next six spots behind Humphries, with the Germans grabbing silver and bronze. Stephanie Schneider, the leader after Saturday's first two heats, finished second in 4:00.12. Laura Nolte was third in 4:00.42.
Mariama Jamanka was fourth for Germany, followed by Canada's Cynthia Appiah, Germany's Kim Kalicki and Canada's Melissa Lotholz.
On average, those six German and Canadian sleds were 1.43 seconds behind Humphries. In sliding, that margin is enormous.
“Kaillie, she's the best in the world, handsdown, one of the best pilots in the world, men or women, taking the bobsled down the hill,” U.S. assistant coach Brian Shimer said. “No question.”
Elana Meyers Taylor was 15th for the U.S., her medal hopes dashed by a first-heat crash Saturday.
Like Humphries, Germany's Francesco Friedrich won double gold at worlds, capping off an easy four-man win later Sunday in 3:35.02. It's the fifth consecutive year that he has swept the two- and four-man golds at either the world championships or Olympics, and his 11th world championship overall.
The Austrian sled driven by Benjamin Maier was second in 3:35.81, and the German sled driven by Johannes Lochner was third in 3:36.53.