The Two Season Club: How Crossover Olympians Actually Pull It Off
This piece strips the romance out of dual season dreams. It explains why federations love the idea, especially bobsleigh programs that can recruit pure start speed, but it also stresses the tax: ice technique, timing, equipment access, and calendars that do not care about your recovery.
Then it turns into ten case files that prove the bridge is real. The list ranges from Seiko Hashimoto’s seven Olympic appearances across speed skating and track cycling, to Willie Davenport and Lolo Jones moving from hurdles into bobsleigh, to historical one offs like Jacob Tullin Thams and Edward Eagan.
The modern proof points land hardest: Clara Hughes stacking medals in cycling and speed skating, Christa Luding Rothenburger medaling across seasons in the same year, Eddy Alvarez earning Olympic silvers in short track and baseball, and Lauryn Williams taking medals in track and bobsleigh. The closing thought is blunt: Milano Cortina will revive the temptation, but the real question is who is willing to be a beginner again long enough to get good.
Dual Sport Athletes, explained: the sprint to sled pipeline, the skills that transfer, 10 real Olympians who proved two peaks are possible.