She's ba-ack.
Lolo Jones' Olympic medal dreams are alive and well after the two-time Olympic hurdler was chosen as one of the three push athletes to compete in one of the two-woman bobsled teams next month in the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, OlympicTalk.NBCSports.com reported Sunday.
Jones, fellow track athlete Lauren Williams and leading push athlete Aja Evans were selected to the team along with drivers Elana Meyers, Jamie Greubel and Jazmine Fenlator. The U.S. Bobsled Team made the selection after Sunday's final World Cup competition in Igls, Austria.
Jones was the favorite to win the 100-meter hurdles at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing and had the lead until the next-to-last hurdle, when she clipped the hurdle and stumbled to a seventh-place finish. OlympicTalk.NBCSports.com reported that Jones cried alone in a hallway underneath the Beijing Olympic Stadium.
Then in 2012, Jones finished fourth in the 100-meter hurdles in the London Olympics, one-tenth of a second out of a bronze-winning time.
Sunday night's announcement initially was more of a tension release than a celebration, Jones said about getting another chance to win an Olympic medal. But then she realized her medal dream now is in her control again.
"After my name was called," the 30-year-old Jones said, "it was a deep sigh of relief.
"The biggest honor I'll ever have in my life is representing Team USA. I'm overwhelmed with emotions."
Jones started working to make the bobsled team after the London Games.
It turns out that Jones probably had already made the team. It was her former track teammate, Williams, who may have earned her way on the team Sunday. Williams teamed with Greubel to win the World Cup race in Igls.
Williams, who won a gold medal the 4x100-meter relay, just began competing as a push athlete this year. Her win with Greubel may have unseated Katie Eberling; Eberling had more experience with Greubel, but never won a race with Greubel. Push athlete Emily Azevedo also had been vying for a spot on the team.
OlympicTalk.NBCSports.com reported that U.S. Bobsled Team driver and push athlete combinations will be decided later.
© Copyright 2024 Sports World News, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
