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NCAA Swim Champ & CrossFit Pro Colleen Fotsch Trying for Olympics in Bobsled

In the SwimSwam Podcast dive deeper into the sport you love with insider conversations about swimming. Hosted by Coleman HodgesGarrett McCaffrey, and Gold Medal Mel Stewart, SwimSwam welcomes both the biggest names in swimming that you already know, and rising stars that you need to get to know, as we break down the past, present, and future of aquatic sports.

We sat down with Colleen Fotsch, the swimmer turned cross-fitter turned bobsledding Olympic hopeful. If you didn’t get it from the first sentence, Colleen has had a long and fruitful athletic career so far and at age 31, she’s still making headway. Fotsch swam for Cal from 2009-2012, helping the Bears to NCAA titles in the 200 free relay (2012) and 200 medley relay (2011 & 2012). Sometime after her NCAA eligibility was complete, she found CrossFit, eventually going pro and training to compete full time, both in a team and individually.

Then last year, she was approached about the idea of training for the Olympic bobsled team, which she ran with and hasn’t looked back. Fotsch talks through all she’s learned in the last 18 months within bobsled and what it will take for her to qualify for her first ever Olympic team in 2022.

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Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the interviewed guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of the hosts, SwimSwam Partners, LLC and/or SwimSwam advertising partners.

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Joe Bagodonuts
3 years ago

A little reminiscent of Sheila Taormina’s athletic abilities at a very high level and transitioning to other sports where those skills also apply. Lots of people from track, football, rugby, or other sports transition to bobsledding as pushers due to their athleticism and quickness.

Jabroni Pepperoni
3 years ago

We’ve all been thinking it. I’m just gonna say it. The intro song to the SwimSwam podcast has no right to slap that hard.

SwimFani
3 years ago

Why not try out for the Olympic Tae Kwon Do team?

ArtVanDeLegh10
3 years ago

Cool Runnings taught us that you can be a successful bobsledder with no real experience or even a real sled. I’m sure she’ll do just fine.

Gregory Hartman
3 years ago

Go Get Em Fotsch!!

Rap
3 years ago

I mean good for her – but it shows the competitiveness of bobsledding if someone with no prior experience can aim for the Olympics. Not to say she’s not super talented, but how many people bobsled in the US? 50? 100?

Ignore me, I’m just sour grapes

Hswimmer
Reply to  Rap
3 years ago

Maybe I should try it lol

AThomas
Reply to  Rap
3 years ago

Driving the sled is a skill and requires years of experience. Pushing the bleep out of the sled by generating 1000 watts for 4 seconds is something that takes years to develop as well. It just isn’t a sport (bobsled) specific talent.

Swimpop
Reply to  Rap
3 years ago

When I lived in Park City we lived next to bob sleder, he was a former Big 5 running back. thighs like thick stumps.

Supafly23
Reply to  Swimpop
3 years ago

How’s Bob doing these days?

coachymccoachface
3 years ago

Same thing Tia Clair-Toomey is doing. She’s the 4x? CrossFit Games champ from Australia.

Hswimmer
3 years ago

Cool!

About Coleman Hodges

Coleman Hodges

Coleman started his journey in the water at age 1, and although he actually has no memory of that, something must have stuck. A Missouri native, he joined the Columbia Swim Club at age 9, where he is still remembered for his stylish dragon swim trunks. After giving up on …

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