Bobsleighing, or bobsledding, has been an Olympic sport since 1924 but was excluded in 1960. The two-man event was added in 1932. Women were not allowed to compete until 2002. Bobsleighing is a winter sport in which teams make timed runs down narrow, twisting, ice tracks in a gravity-powered sled. Modern sleds are made of light metals, steel runners, and an aerodynamic body.

The crew is made up of a pilot, brakeman, and two pushers in a four person crew. Runs begin from a standing start while the crew pushes the sled for 50 meters before climbing on board. The initial push is critical.