Christine de Bruin sliding into Beijing 2022 medal contention

Christine de Bruin will be looking to uphold Canada’s reputation in female bobsleighing at the Winter Olympics, with the North Americans reaching the podium at the last three editions.

The 32-year-old De Bruin will have to step into the void left by former countrywoman Kaillie Humphries, who will be sliding for the United States at the Beijing showpiece.

Humphries has been the pre-eminent bobsleigh athlete for over a decade, winning two Olympic gold medals and a bronze in the two-women event before she changed allegiances ahead of Beijing 2022. Humphries won back-to-back gold medals at Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014, and bronze at PyeongChang 2018.

De Bruin has emerged as one of the top drivers on the international bobsleigh circuit since finishing seventh on her Olympic debut at PyeongChang 2018.

She made her breakthrough in 2019, reaching the podium twice at the Bobsleigh World Championships in Whistler, Canada. De Bruin bagged the bronze medal in the two-woman bobsleigh with brakewoman Kristen Bujnowski and won silver in the team relay.

She continued her rise, producing her best result yet in the World Cup series finishing third overall in the 2019/2020 season after consistently finishing among the top-five pilots.

The Edmonton-born slider crowned the season, claiming a second consecutive bronze medal in the two-woman bobsleigh at the 2020 World Championships in Altenberg, Germany.

“Finishing third overall means to me that we have arrived, and I believe that even more so now,” De Bruin told Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton. “This shows we are consistent and the work we have put in is paying off.”

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De Bruin’s success over the last two seasons has been