Kylie Humphries: A Legacy in Bobsledding

U.S. Olympian Kylie Humphries has established herself as the most accomplished female bobsled pilot ever. She recently won a bronze medal in the women’s two-man bobsled, bringing her total Olympic medals to six, which includes three golds and two bronzes.

Looking ahead, Humphries is eager to join Team USA’s initiatives, specifically aiming to participate in the White House Task Force for the 2028 Summer Olympics set to take place in Los Angeles.

In a recent conversation, she expressed her strong support for President Trump, declaring, “I’m a Republican,” and stated her intention to vote for him in 2024. Humphries holds a unique record in Olympic history as the only bobsledder to earn gold medals for two different nations. She originally won gold for Canada at the 2010 Vancouver and 2014 Sochi Games before becoming a U.S. citizen and competing in the 2022 Beijing Olympics, where she secured another gold medal.

Humphries has taken great pride in her journey of settling in San Diego, where she and her husband, Travis, are raising their son. She believes that the process of obtaining legal immigration status deserves respect and support. “I support legal immigration,” she said. “It’s a tough process, and it shouldn’t be easy. Pursuing something worthwhile takes effort.” She emphasized the need for checks and balances in the country to ensure lawfulness.

Originally from Calgary, Alberta, Humphries was part of Canada’s national development team before switching to bobsledding in 2002. After facing challenges with her coaching staff post-2018 PyeongChang Games, she began the U.S. citizenship process in 2016 while still competing for Canada. However, she ultimately felt she needed to make a change due to significant issues with Bobsleigh Canada, including alleged mistreatment by her coach.

After enduring funding cuts and support withdrawal, she reached out to USA Bobsled, eventually proving herself worthy during the U.S. trials for the 2022 Olympics. Following her citizenship completion in December 2021, she proudly represented the U.S. and won its first gold medal in monobob.

Through all her experiences, Humphries has come to deeply appreciate the importance of women’s sports and recognizes the sacrifices female athletes have to make for success. Living in California, she has seen the increasing participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports and feels it’s vital to address this issue. As a prospective member of the 2028 Olympics Task Force, she fully endorses Trump’s proposed mandatory genetic gender testing to maintain the integrity of women’s competition.

“Women should have their own category,” she asserted, explaining there are fundamental differences between men and women, particularly in sports that rely on speed and strength. She reflected on competing against men and felt that, as a woman, competing successfully against them would be virtually impossible.

Polls suggest a majority of Americans favor protecting women’s sports from the inclusion of trans athletes. However, some individuals, often with left-leaning ideologies, view protective measures as discriminatory. When asked how she’d respond to critics, Humphries suggested, “I’d ask if they’ve ever competed in an Olympic-level sport against top talent. There’s a reason for separate categories… if the transgender community wants to compete, there should be options for them, too. Protecting women’s sports is crucial.”

Seeing the U.S. women’s hockey team clinch gold was a moment of pride for her, and she had mixed feelings when the men’s team also won against Canada. She remarked on the political dynamics surrounding these victories and expressed disappointment that such achievements often get overshadowed by media scrutiny.

Humphries shared her hope for a visit to the White House after the Winter Games, which might be one of her last as an Olympic medalist, though she intends to continue competing. With her family growing, as her son Alden is due in June 2024 after a challenging IVF journey, she is adapting her plans as both an athlete and a mother. Support from recent executive orders aimed at reducing IVF costs gives her optimism for the future.

Reflecting on her illustrious career, Humphries is not only a six-time Olympic medalist but also the only female athlete to achieve gold medals in multiple countries and events within bobsledding. After adding a bronze to her accolades in Milan-Cortina, she and her teammate Jasmine Jones made history as the first two-mother team to podium in the sport.