German Francesco Friedrich plans to keep bobsledding through the 2030 French Alps Winter Games, where he can break the records for most Olympic gold medals and total medals in his sport.
“Bobsledding is still my passion,” the 36-year-old Friedrich said Thursday, according to a translation. “Why should I give it up when I’m still good at it, when I still enjoy fine-tuning the details, training with the team all summer, preparing for the season, and then competing together at this level.”
At the Milan Cortina Games, Friedrich drove to silver medals in the two- and four-man events behind rival countryman Johannes Lochner, who retired after the Games.
Friedrich swept two- and four-man golds in 2018 and 2022, including a tie for two-man gold in 2018 with Canadian Justin Kripps.
Friedrich’s six Olympic medals are tied for the most for a bobsled driver and one shy of the overall bobsled record when including push athletes. German Bogdan Musiol earned seven medals, all as a push athlete.
Similarly, Friedrich’s four golds are tied for the bobsled driver record and one shy of the overall bobsled record owned by Thorsten Margis, who was formerly one of Friedrich’s push athletes.
By extending to 2030, Friedrich can also target 100 World Cup victories. He is currently at 89, a bobsled record.
Georg Fleischhauer, a 37-year-old who in his Olympic debut in Cortina won two- and four-man golds in Lochner’s sled, is joining Friedrich’s team.
