Single Mom Jasmine Jones Makes Olympics After World Cup Win

A former college sprinter who switched sports just a few years ago is heading to the Winter Olympics as a bobsled champion.

Jasmine Jones officially made the U.S. Olympic bobsled team after earning silver with pilot Kaillie Humphries in Altenberg, Germany, at the final World Cup race before the Games. The pair also claimed gold in St. Moritz, Switzerland, proving Jones belongs among the world's best.

Jones was a sprinter at Eastern Michigan University when a coach submitted her stats to a talent identification competition. Olympic veteran Elana Meyers Taylor reached out, and Jones decided to take a chance on a winter sport she'd never tried.

"I thought, let me go see what it's all about," Jones said. "I made the change to bobsled."

Her path mirrors that of Vonetta Flowers, the first Black athlete to win Winter Olympic gold. Both women brought their track speed and agility to the ice, showing that athletic excellence crosses seasons and surfaces.

As a single mother to 5-year-old Jade, Jones needed financial stability while training for the biggest competition of her life. She joined the U.S. Air Force World Class Athlete Program, which provides pay and benefits while athletes train full time.

"They saw the type of athlete I am and saw the potential," Jones explained. "They allowed me to have support from the military so I can truly focus on my sport."

Why This Inspires

Jones credits Meyers Taylor, now heading to her fifth Olympics, as both a role model and motivation. Watching another mother compete at the highest level showed her what's possible.

"Seeing how she perseveres," Jones said. "We get exhausted, but she still shows up. Seeing her reminds me of everything I know I can do."

With military support and her daughter settled in school, this season Jones watched her summer training pay off in race after race. She's proven to herself that she belongs on the Olympic stage.

Jones knows she hasn't hit her ceiling yet, and that's exactly what makes her story so exciting to watch unfold.