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Lolo Jones has had an incredible athletic career. She's one of the few athletes who is good enough to compete in an event at both the Summer and Winter Olympics. She's known for being a top-flight bobsledder, but also competes in track and field events as a hurdler.
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As an Olympic bobsledder, she's a two-time gold medalist, including a victory in the two-woman event in 2021, just a year prior to the latest round of the Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Curiously enough, she was left out of the Olympic team despite her recent gold medal in the event. Considering that she's been one of the United States' best for a while, that decision was a curious one. Why was she left off?
Why Lolo Jones didn't compete in the 2022 Olympics
Ultimately, it comes down to the fact that Jones was 39 and not in her prime anymore. Given the depth of the talent pool for the American women's bobsledding team, it was difficult to overlook the other athletes.
Aron McGuire, Team USA Bobsledding CEO, admitted as much:
“The selection committee met to thoroughly deliberate who should be nominated to this team, and it wasn’t an easy decision. We are fortunate to have a deep talent pool, but that makes it really difficult to decide who gets selected. We are proud of this team, and we’re looking forward to watching them represent the United States in Beijing.”
Given the exceptional crop of talent available, the US left Jones on the outside looking in. It may also have something to do with the fact that Jones wasn't racing as much anymore.
In fact, she competed in just one race that year, which may have prompted Team USA to look elsewhere for their Olympic roster. The bobsledder competed in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics in the summer and the 2014 Olympics in the winter.
The 2022 Beijing games would have been her final opportunity to go after a medal but she was sadly unable to make the final cut.
American athletes who have competed in both Summer and Winter Olympics
The list of athletes who, like Jones, have competed in both the Summer and Winter Olympics is not long. It's a rather prestigious list as there have only been 11 Americans to achieve this incredible feat.
Jones competed as a hurdler in athletics and a brakewoman in the bobsled team. In 2020, Eddy Alvarez competed for the United States in baseball and in 2014 was in the short track speed skating event.
Lauryn Williams competed in track events in 2004, 2008 and 2012. In 2014, she switched over to bobsledding for the winter.
Chris Witty cycled for Team USA in 2000, but speed skated in 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006. Connie Paraskevin-Young also cycled for Team USA in 1988, 1992 and 1996 after speed skating in 1984.
Connie Carpenter-Phinny speed skated in 1972 before cycling in 1984. Willie Davenport competed in athletics in 1964, 1968, 1972 and 1976 before bobsledding in 1980.
David Gilman canoed in 1976 and 1984 and also competed in the luge in 1976. Arnold Uhrlass speed skated in 1960 before cycling in 1964.
Art Longsjo speed skated and cycled in 1956. Finally, Eddie Eagan boxed in 1920 and 1924 and joined the bobsledding team in 1932.
