Lolo Jones pushed a sled in competition for the first time since the Sochi Olympics on Friday and, though she is not expected to compete this bobsled World Cup season, has not ruled out returning to the winter sport after the Rio 2016 Summer Games.
In June, Jones said she was “very valuable” to U.S. Bobsled because of a rule change reducing the maximum combined weight for a two-woman bobsled and crews by 66 pounds, a change that will phase in over the next two seasons, according to U.S. Bobsled.
Jones’ track and field weight is about 30 pounds lighter than her bobsled weight, so she would not have to gain as much weight this time switching back to bobsled after trying to make her third Summer Olympic team next year. Or not gain any weight at all.
“My goal is longevity, and I’ll be in a position to help the team down the line when the new rule is in place,” Jones said, according to a press release. “I’ll be honest, it’s tough pushing a bobsled at the weight I’m at now, which is a lot lighter than I was in Sochi, but I’ll be able to adjust.”
On Friday, Jones finished third in the U.S. Bobsled Push Championships in Lake Placid, N.Y., where she totaled 9.58 seconds over two pushes and was .05 behind winner Lauren Gibbs. She did so after one day of push track training.
“My focus is on the Rio Olympics, and oddly enough training for a winter sport helps compliment that perfectly,” Jones said, according to the press release.
Olympic medalists Elana Meyers Taylor and Steven Holcomb won the national push titles for drivers and are expected to compete in bobsled this season, unlike Jones.
Jones finished 11th at the Sochi Olympics, becoming one of 10 Americans to compete in both the Summer and Winter Olympics.
She will turn 34 years old on the day of the Rio Olympic Opening Ceremony. Her chances of making the U.S. Olympic team may be tougher in 2016 than 2018, given she was 10th fastest in the 100m hurdles semifinals at the U.S. Track and Field Championships in June and failed to finish in the final. The top three at the U.S. Olympic Trials in July make the Rio team.
The U.S. sent three push athletes to the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.
On Friday, Jones was the only Olympic women’s push athlete to compete. Lauryn Williams, who pushed for Meyers Taylor in Sochi to a silver medal, has retired. Aja Evans said after her Sochi bronze medal that she would pursue track and field’s heptathlon.
“[Jones] hasn’t pushed a bobsled since Sochi, so to have her come out here and do her thing after just one day of training only brings the level of the team up,” Meyers Taylor said. “We’re all supportive of her pursuing her run to Rio and excited to see her crushing it on the track, but we’re even more excited for her to come back to bobsled one day.”
The World Cup bobsled season starts in late November.
MORE TRACK AND FIELD: Lolo Jones inspired by Gail Devers
Ahhh! I am officially in offseason. 20 plus races. The only thing I will be running now is Netflix marathons.
— Lolo Jones (@lolojones) September 18, 2015