The 2026 U.S. Olympic bobsled and skeleton team is poised to become the most diverse Winter Games roster in American history, with women of color expected to dominate the ice tracks at Milan Cortina.
At a Glance
- Eight or nine women are expected to compete for USA Bobsled and Skeleton
- Most sliders will be women of color, potentially making this the most diverse U.S. Winter Olympic team ever
- The 2018 team had 21 athletes of Black or Asian descent (8% of total roster)
- Why it matters: This represents a significant shift in winter sports diversity and could inspire future generations of athletes
The transformation is particularly striking in a sport that has traditionally lacked representation. While European powers and even the U.S. have fielded predominantly white teams, the upcoming Olympics could see Black women leading America’s medal hopes.
Historic Representation
Mystique Ro, a U.S. skeleton athlete of Black and Korean descent who won last year’s world championship in the mixed event with Austin Florian, captured the excitement: “We’re really doing this. The train has left the station. We’re going. And it’s such a surreal feeling. … We’re really making history out here and it’s not slowing down at all.”
The roster includes several groundbreaking athletes:
- Elana Meyers Taylor: Five-time Olympic medalist and most decorated Black athlete in Winter Games history
- Kaysha Love: Reigning world champion in monobob, first Black woman to hold that title
- Erin Jackson: First Black woman to win Olympic winter gold in an individual sport (2022), returning for 2026
- Laila Edwards: First Black woman to wear the U.S. women’s hockey sweater on the Olympic stage
“It’s a really big deal,” Edwards said when the roster was unveiled. “Representation matters. In terms of processing it, I think I’m just trying to use it as something that motivates me to be the best role model and person I can be.”
Challenges Remain
Despite this progress, winter sports continue to face significant diversity challenges. The National Ski Areas Association reported in 2024 that only 1% of U.S. ski resort guests identify as Black, citing cost and accessibility as primary barriers.
Of the approximately 2,900 athletes who competed at the Beijing Winter Games, the overwhelming majority identified as white. While nations like Ghana, Nigeria, and Haiti have seen athletes qualify, representation remains limited.
Adanna Johnson, who competed for Jamaica at last year’s world championships at age 17, represents the growing but still small pool of diverse athletes: “I never thought I would be doing this. The sport is growing. There are more opportunities.”
Beyond the Olympics
Mystique Ro emphasized that visibility must extend beyond the Olympic spotlight: “There’s a lot more diversity. But seeing us without the helmet, seeing the roster, seeing the names, it’s just really important how we present it to the people so it’s not just at the Olympics. It has to be every year because we compete every year.”
The path to bobsled has typically involved recruitment from other sports, particularly track and field, which provides the necessary combination of speed and power. Vonetta Flowers became the first Black woman to win bobsled gold for the U.S. at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games, paving the way for future generations.
Inspiration Across Generations
Meyers Taylor, originally an elite softball player, credits Flowers as a key inspiration. Love, a former record-setting high school sprinter who attended UNLV before discovering bobsled, is about to become a two-time Olympian – though she initially expected her Olympic journey would be in gymnastics.
“Growing up, I was really only excited about summer sports because that’s where I saw me. That’s where I saw representation,” Love explained. “You always had Black athletes in gymnastics and track and even swimming sometimes. So, to know that now I get to be that representation along with like some of my other teammates who have worked so hard to be a part of this … that change is inspiring.”
The transformation of USA Bobsled and Skeleton reflects broader changes in winter sports, where traditional barriers of cost, access, and representation are slowly giving way to a more inclusive future. As the Milan Cortina Games approach, these athletes aren’t just competing for medals – they’re rewriting what Olympic diversity looks like on ice.
