TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Florida State University student Josh Williamson is on his way to Beijing to compete in the 2022 Winter Olympics as Team USA's Bobsled brakeman after initially being held back due to COVID-19 protocols.
Williamson's trip to Beijing was initially delayed after he announced on his Instagram that he had tested positive for COVID-19 on Jan. 23. But, on Feb. 9, he posted on Facebook that he was "Beijing bound!"
Williamson enrolled at FSU in 2016 after spending time in Mercer University's lacrosse program and is currently in the school's business school working towards a degree in marketing.
The 25-year-old Lary Mary, Fla. native got involved with bobsledding by winning Team USA's "Scouting Camp: The Next Olympic Hopeful." He raced in the junior world championships the following winter and the senior world championships in 2019.
Williamson's role on the bobsled team is the brakeman, whose main job is to push as hard as possible during the start of the sled run and then crouch down as far as possible to stay aerodynamic. At the end of the run, he pulls the brake to slow down the sled.
You can catch Williamson in action beginning Feb. 18 (all times eastern):
- Friday, Feb. 18
- Four-man Run 1 – 8:30 p.m.
- Four-man Run 2 – 10:05 p.m.
- Saturday, Feb. 19
- Four-man Run 3 – 8:30 p.m.
- MEDAL EVENT: Four-man Run 4 – 10:20 p.m.
