Aja Evans poses for a portrait on April 27, 2017 in West Hollywood, Calif.
The first official competition of the 2017-18 bobsled season is now complete, and Aja Evans held nothing back in starting her quest to make a second U.S. Olympic team at the USA Bobsled National Push Championships in Calgary, Alberta.
Evans had a time of 5.39 seconds in the women’s competition to break an eight-year record at the Ice House set by Elana Meyers Taylor (5.40) and went on to win the title with a combined time of 10.83, 0.14 seconds ahead of everyone else. Lolo Jones finished in second (10.97) and Lauren Gibbs was just behind her (10.98).
Steve Langton won the men’s push title in his return from a three-year break after winning two medals in Steve Holcomb’s sled in 2014. Langton had a combined time of 10.01 to win the title by 0.01 over Evan Weinstock. Nate Weber finished third with a combined time of 10.10.
In the pilot’s competition, two-time Olympic medalist Meyers Taylor won her sixth push title as a driver and her ninth overall. Meyers Taylor posted start times of 5.50 and 5.53 seconds for a combined time of 11.03, beating out Katie Eberling (11.21) and Jamie Greubel Poser (11.23).
On the men’s side, two-time Olympian Justin Olsen earned the pilot title with times of 5.14 and 5.18 for a total of 10.32. It is his fifth push title and third as a driver. Dustin Greenwood was second (10.48) and two-time Olympian Nick Cunningham was third (10.54).
Karen Price is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has covered Olympic sports for various publications. She is a freelance contributor to TeamUSA.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.
