Rush Drives Sled to First Four-Man Medal Since 1964
Lyndon Rush, Chris Le Bihan, David Bissett and Lascelles Brown entered the 2010 Games ranked No. 8 in the world in four-man bobsleigh. They left with an upgraded ranking.
Yesterday, the high-speed sledders posted the second-fastest times once again in both heats, which solidified a podium position for the group. It took a very fast final race by a German sled, driven by the skilled Andre Lange, to displace Canada 1 from a silver. And it was only by one-one-hundredth of a second.
“Bronze is sweet,” said Le Bihan. “Andre, we call him the ‘Great One’ for a reason.”
It was a historic performance by Rush’s team. They have won only Canada’s second-ever four-man bobsleigh medal. The previous medal came 46 years ago, a gold in 1964, when pilot Vic Emery took the world by surprise in the first year Canada ever competed in bobsleigh. The bronze by Canada 1 yesterday is the third bobsleigh medal won by Canada at these Games, also a new record.
Rush and company were joined by another talented group at the Whistler Sliding Centre. That would be the Canada 2 sled, driven by five-time Olympian Pierre Lueders who has won gold and silver medals in the two-man event. Lueders guided his sled of Jesse Lumsden, Justin Kripps and Neville Wright to a fifth-place finish. He also finished fifth in the two-man event.
The veteran Lueders says it was his last Olympic race. “Just the fact to compete in your own country after so many years abroad, it’s a tremendous feeling to get up here at the finish and see people cheering with flags,” he said.
