American sprinter Teahna Daniels has announced she is making a bold switch to bobsled, with her sights set on representing Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The 26-year-old, who anchored the United States women’s 4x100m team to a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics 2021, shared the news on Olympic Day in a candid video posted to social media.
“Never imagined this being my next chapter,” Daniels said. “I know you all see me on the track, but we had to pivot. Now, I’m working towards earning my spot as a brakesman for Team USA.”
A standout on the track, Daniels is a former U.S. national 100m champion, a World Championships finalist, and boasts a personal best of 10.83 seconds in the 100m. She also won the 2016 NCAA indoor title in the 60 meters while at the University of Texas.
In her Instagram video, Teahna Daniels offered a glimpse into the early stages of her transition.
“This is day one. I was struggling. I didn’t really understand the process,” she said. “But by day five, we made progress. I’m excited to share the process.”
Moreover, as a brakesman, Daniels will be responsible for delivering a powerful start to the sled before jumping in and braking at the finish. An ideal role for a sprinter with her kind of explosive power.
Athletes who’ve Crossed Over into Winter Sports
Daniels now joins a tradition of elite American track athletes who’ve crossed over into winter sports. Olympic medalists like Lauryn Williams and Lolo Jones made similar moves. They helped bring visibility to the sport of bobsled within the track and field community.
“Now it’s time to lock in and prepare for post-champs,” Daniels said as she closed her message. “Happy Olympic Day.”
Meanwhile, the 2026 Winter Olympics are staged in Milan-Cortina. The Games, are set for February in northern Italy, marking the first time two cities Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, co-host the Winter edition.
In addition, the competition will feature events like speed skating, ski jumping, snowboarding, curling, and ice hockey.
