Justin Olsen’s Emotional Quest for Bobsled Gold

US bobsled lost its legendary driver, Steve Holcomb, in May.

Bobsledder Justin Olsen poses for a portrait during the Team USA Media Summit ahead of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games on September 26, 2017 in Park City, Utah.  (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
Bobsledder Justin Olsen poses for a portrait during the Team USA Media Summit ahead of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games on September 26, 2017 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
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Justin Olsen, the US Olympic bobsled team’s driver, has a particularly meaningful task ahead in Pyeongchang. In May, the heart of the US bobsled team and Olsen’s mentor, Steve Holcomb, died in his sleep. A three-time Olympic medalist, Holcomb was the team’s presumed pilot for the Pyeongchang games. A new article in Esquire spotlights Olsen as he assumes the role of driver in Pyeongchang, at the very same course at which Olsen and Holcomb trained together just a year ago. Already a gold medalist for the team’s performance in Vancouver, Olsen looks to return to the podium as the team continues to mourn. “You’re not prepared to lose someone close until lose somebody close,” Olsen told Esquire. “No one can replace Steve. I won’t.”

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