Justin Olsen back in bobsled two weeks after surgery
PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — Less than two weeks ago Justin Olsen laid on his back in a South Korean hospital while his girlfriend read aloud selfhelp mantras and his body healed from emergency surgery. On Sunday, he piloted one of the USA’s three two-man bobsleds.
Olsen had been directed to the hospital amid stomach pains, with doctors diagnosing the 30-year-old with acute appendicitis. So long, appendix. Meanwhile, back in the Olympic Village, his teammates hoped for the best, aware of what it would mean to their medal hopes should Olsen — who also drives the four-man sled — not recover in time for competition.
There was no need to worry. Scarred but not shaken, Olsen and his sled sit 12th after the first two runs of competition, tops among the three U.S. teams. If a distance from the medal podium leading into Monday’s finals, the performance could be viewed optimistically, as a good sign for the USA’s chances in the four-man sled, the team’s stronger of the two events.
“We were quick, just not as quick as we wanted,” Olsen said of his run with teammate Evan Weinstock. “But overall, this trips were a lot better than training was.”
For now, that’s good enough. And considering where Olsen was just after arriving here, any finish represents can be viewed with an optimistic slant.
The appendix had been bothering him for years, if unbeknownst to Olsen himself — it was just stomach pain, difficult to self-diagnose. But pain led to a sleepless night heading into surgery, and pain and discomfort led to a second night without sleep.
He caught three hours of rest a day later, waking up sweaty and confused as his girlfriend entered the hospital room. She started reading some motivational thoughts: Think about your head space and your mind-set. Be grateful. Stay focused.
“It just put things in perspective,” he said. “I just felt at ease. That’s when I really started to get my confidence back, that this was possible.”
There will be no medal in two-man competition for Olsen nor his USA teammates, with Nick Cunningham’s sled in 25th and the team of Codie Bascue and Sam McGuffie in 26th heading into the final two heats. But since training runs, U.S. bobsledders have made it clear: They’ll be good in two-man, but watch out in four-man.
So there are some takeaways for that event. How the track plays in two-man can translate to four-man, Cunningham said, highlighting curve two and curve nine as trouble spots. They’ll be better for the experience.
“I really need to clean up Curve 9,” Olsen said. “If anybody’s been watching any sliding sports, you’ve got to hit that straightaway.”
And Olsen himself will get stronger and more comfortable with each passing day and run. The stitches were dissolvable, so there’s no worrying about the cut reopening. His strength and endurance are coming back. Come fourman competition, Olsen and the USA will be ready.
“All things considered, good,” he said.