USA Bobsled Team Finishes 11th at Milan Cortina Olympics with Latter-day Saint Athlete
Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy – The United States four-man bobsled team concluded its competition at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics with an 11th-place finish. The team included Latter-day Saint athlete Caleb Furnell, alongside pilot Kris Horn, and push athletes Hunter Powell and Carsten Vissering.
Final Results and Competition Overview
The competition at the Cortina Sliding Center, known as the “house of speed,” saw teams reaching speeds up to 85 mph (137 kilometers per hour). The final standings were determined by the cumulative time across four heats, measured to the hundredth of a second.
After the first two heats on Saturday, February 21st, the USA sled was in ninth place. The final two heats took place on Sunday, February 22nd, the last day of the Winter Olympics.
Heat Performances
During the third heat, the Team USA sled recorded a time of 55.22 seconds, finishing less than a second behind the leader, according to times on Olympics.com. Despite achieving the third-best start time, a skid on a slippery section of the track added to their overall time. Commentators noted that several teams experienced similar difficulties in that area.
In the fourth and final heat, the team achieved a time of 55.11 seconds with the second-best starting time, according to results on Olympics.com. Their combined time across all four heats was 3 minutes, 39.94 seconds, placing them 11th overall.
Other U.S. Team Results
A second U.S. Sled, piloted by Frankie del Duca, finished 12th overall with a combined time of 3 minutes, 40.06 seconds.
Germany Claims Gold
The German team, piloted by Johannes Lochner, secured the gold medal with a total time of 3 minutes, 37.57 seconds. Lochner similarly won the two-man bobsled competition. Thorsten Margis, a push athlete on the winning German team, now has five Olympic gold medals in bobsled, according to news reports.
Germany’s Francesco Friedrich, the two-time defending Olympic champion, took silver with a time of 3 minutes, 38.14 seconds, even as the Swiss team piloted by Michael Vogt earned bronze in 3 minutes, 38.64 seconds.
About Caleb Furnell
Caleb Furnell, 24, is a graduate of Utah Valley University, where he competed as a sprinter on the track team and set school records. Originally from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, Furnell transitioned to bobsled after a friend suggested he try out for a combine.
“After finishing his track and field career at Utah Valley, he figured his athletic career was over when a friend called him to say there was a bobsled combine and that Furnell should try out.”
Furnell was invited to the USA National Push Championships in Lake Placid, New York, in September 2025 and named to the World Cup team. The 2026 Milan Cortina Games marked his Olympic debut.
FAQ
- What place did Caleb Furnell’s team finish? They finished 11th.
- Where were the 2026 Winter Olympics held? The games were held in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
- How fast do bobsleds travel? The fastest sleds can reach speeds up to 85 mph (137 kilometers per hour).
The USA bobsled team’s performance at the Milan Cortina Games showcased the dedication and athleticism of these athletes. While a medal wasn’t achieved this time, the experience gained will be invaluable as they look towards future competitions.