US Olympic Skeleton Team Announced: Florian, Ro, Curtis, and Barefoot Head to Milan Cortina

Image Source: Internet

The US Olympic skeleton team has been finalized, with Austin Florian and Mystique Ro, winners of the mixed skeleton world championship, joined by Kelly Curtis and Dan Barefoot. Florian and Barefoot secured men's spots, while Ro and Curtis were picked for the women's roster. Curtis is the only returning member from the 2022 Olympic team. Florian, Ro, and Curtis have been competing on the World Cup circuit this season. Barefoot initially struggled, finishing no higher than 23rd in four World Cup races. However, he made a comeback with three consecutive wins on the North American Cup circuit, securing his spot on the team. In a closely contested selection process, five-time Olympian Katie Uhlaender narrowly missed the cut. She had requested the International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation to award full points from a recent win, which could have potentially secured her a spot on the team. However, the IBSF investigation found no rules were broken by Canadian coaches who withdrew their sliders from the same event, affecting the standings points available. The skeleton competition at the Milan Cortina Olympics will take place from February 12-15. The US team is gearing up for the event, with high expectations following the team's strong performance in the mixed skeleton world championship.