CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, ITALY – The United States men’s four-man bobsled team, featuring Latter-day Saint athlete Caleb Furnell, finished 11th at the final of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. The team completed four heats down the challenging track at the Cortina Sliding Center, known for its demanding twists and speeds reaching up to 85 mph (137 kilometers per hour).
Piloted by Kris Horn, the American sled also included push athletes Hunter Powell and Carsten Vissering alongside Furnell. Their combined time across all four heats totaled 2 minutes, 44.83 seconds, placing them just outside the top ten. The competition was decided by hundredths of a second, highlighting the precision required in the sport.
The U.S. Team held ninth place after the first two heats on . They improved their position slightly during the third heat on , recording a time of 55.22 seconds – less than a second behind the leading sled. However, a skid near the start gate hampered their time, a problem observed by commentators affecting multiple teams. They finished the fourth and final heat in 55.11 seconds, achieving the second-best start time of that run.
Another American team, piloted by Frankie del Duca, finished 12th overall with a combined time of 3 minutes, 40.06 seconds. The difference of less than a second between the two U.S. Teams underscores the incredibly tight competition at the Olympic level.
The gold medal was claimed by the German team led by Johannes Lochner, who also secured victory in the two-man bobsled event. Lochner’s team finished with a total time of 3 minutes, 37.57 seconds. Thorsten Margis, a member of the winning German team, now boasts five Olympic gold medals in bobsled. Germany continued their dominance on the podium, with Francesco Friedrich piloting a second team to a silver medal in 3 minutes, 38.14 seconds. The Swiss team, steered by Michael Vogt, rounded out the medal standings with a bronze in 3 minutes, 38.64 seconds.
For Caleb Furnell, the Milan Cortina Games represent his Olympic debut. The -year-old athlete’s journey to the Olympics is a relatively recent one, transitioning from a successful track and field career at Utah Valley University. Furnell specialized in sprints from to at the university, setting school records before being encouraged by a friend to try out for the bobsled team.
He quickly proved his athleticism was transferable, earning a spot on the U.S. National team and subsequently the IBSF World Cup team as a push athlete. Furnell is the third graduate from Utah Valley University to qualify for the U.S. Olympic team, following Noelle Pikus-Pace and Chris Fogt, who both won silver medals in .
Beyond the ice, Furnell and his wife, Brynlee, share their home with a collection of pets, each playfully named after figures in the world of motorsports, including a dog named Lewis, after Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton. This lighthearted detail offers a glimpse into the athlete’s personality outside of the intense competition.
While the U.S. Team didn’t reach the podium in the four-man bobsled event, Furnell’s participation marks a significant achievement in his burgeoning bobsled career. The experience gained at the Olympic level will undoubtedly be valuable as he continues to compete and develop within the sport. The Milan Cortina Games concluded on , leaving a legacy of thrilling competition and inspiring performances.
