A Summerland bobsleigh athlete will be competing in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing in February.
Justin Kripps will serve as the pilot of one of the two Canadian four-man bobsleigh men’s teams in the games. With him will be Ben Coakwell, Ryan Sommer and Cam Stones. Three skeleton athletes and 18 bobsleigh athletes will be among the Canadians competing in the games.
Three skeleton athletes along with a full fleet of 18 bobsledders will ship out to Beijing on a mission to deliver podium performances at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games.
Canada qualified 18 athletes to fill the maximum number of women’s and men’s bobsleighs for the second straight Olympic Winter Games. Germany is the only other nation to do so.
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Kripps will look to defend his Olympic two-man title. His medal-winning crew that celebrated second-place overall finishes in both race disciplines on the World Cup this year remain laser focusedlaser-focusedon challenging for the Olympic four-man podium.
In the 2018 Winter Olympics, Kripps and Alexander Kopacz tied for first in the two-man bobsleigh event in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
He has also accumulated numerous medals in World Cup bobsleigh competitions. In December, 2021, Kripps and the four-man crew earned silver in World Cup bobsleigh competition in Altenberg, Germany.
Canada’s bobsleigh and skeleton athletes qualified for Team Canada based on their international ranking over the last two seasons. Team Canada has won nine Olympic bobsleigh medals and four Olympic skeleton medals.
Bobsleigh will take place Feb. 13 to 20 (Days 9 to 16) and skeleton will take place Feb. 10 to 12 (Days 6 to 8), both at the Yanqing Sliding Centre.
“I am so pleased to welcome the bobsleigh and skeleton athletes that will be sliding for Canada in Beijing,” said Catriona Le May Doan, Team Canada’s Beijing 2022 Chef de Mission. “This team brings with it incredible leadership, experience and resilience. The veterans have been wonderful role models for the rookies and we are so excited to see you compete in Beijing. Canada has been a force on the international stage since 2018 and we will be cheering you all on in the beautiful sleds that represent the partnership with the Royal Canadian Navy. We celebrate all of those that dare to wear the maple leaf.”
Prior to being named to Team Canada, all nominations are subject to approval by the Canadian Olympic Committee’s Team Selection Committee following its receipt of nominations by all National Sport Organizations.
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Justin Kripps
