Christine de Bruin second after two of four runs ahead of Laura Nolte
Yanqing (RWH) Bobsleigh pilot Kaillie Humphries (USA) is clearly on course for gold after the first two Olympic race runs in the women's monobob debut. 1.04 seconds is the lead of the World Champion after two of four heats on the Canadian Christine de Bruin. Humphries also holds the new track record in the Olympic Yanqing Sliding Center (1:04:44 minutes)
1.22 seconds behind Humphries, the 2010 and 2014 2-woman bobsleigh Olympic Champion, World Championships bronze medallist Laura Nolte (GER) finished the first Olympic day of the women's bobsleigh athletes in third place, just ahead of overall World Cup winner Elana Meyers Taylor (USA, 1.32 seconds back) in fourth. Meyers Taylor set the start record with 5.61 seconds.
Best athlete of the Olympic hosts from China is currently Huai Mingming (1.80 seconds back) in fifth place. ©RWH2022
Kaillie Humphries (USA, 2021 World Champion).
"I'm very happy with my performance, even if I still have to fix a few small things. The ice is holding up very well, that makes it fair for all athletes. Tomorrow is everyone's race, also I have to have two more constant runs."
Christine de Bruin (CAN, 4th place women's monobob World Series 21/22)
"This is very exciting, even though I try not to think too much about it being the first Olympic monobob event. I knew I could be fast here and I'm happy that I managed two consistent runs."
Laura Nolte (GER, World Championships bronze medalist 2021, Youth Olympic Champion 2016)
"The first run had only a few small mistakes, I thought if I could get a grip on those, I could attack up front again. Unfortunately, I didn't succeed that way. If the angle of the monobob in a curve is off by just one millimeter, the sled breaks out immediately. That's what makes it so difficult."
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Photos: IBSF / Viesturs Lacis