BOBSLEIGH: For two-time Summer Olympian, former hurdling World Champion and mother Jana Pittman, competing at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Bobsleigh “is a second chance” as well as an opportunity to add to the history books
BOBSLEIGH: For two-time Summer Olympian, former hurdling World Champion and mother Jana Pittman, competing at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Bobsleigh “is a second chance” as well as an opportunity to add to the history books as the first Australian female Olympian to compete in a summer and winter Games.
Pittman, who competed in Athletics at the Sydney and Athens Games, achieved her best individual Olympic result in 2004 placing fifth in the 400m hurdles just weeks after knee surgery.
“I really thought my career was over,” the 31-year-old said, who tried Rowing and Boxing before deciding to concentrate on the sport of Bobsleigh.
“To be able to come and do something that is really fun and that is very different and something I think we are going to be very good at is something that has drawn me here,” she said.
The Sydneysider won gold at the 2003 World Championships in the 400m Hurdles and at the time became the youngest 400m Hurdles World Champion in history (male or female). Four years later and just months after giving birth to her son Cornelius, she did it again and claimed her second world crown in the 400m hurdles.
Gold in Beijing was her next goal, but a toe injury forced her out of contention for the 2008 Games. It was a similar story for the London Games when injury halted her comeback and Pittman retired from the sport in 2012.
Pittman transferred to Bobsleigh in 2012 and in her first season on the ice, finished seventh at the 2013 World Cup in Altenberg, Germany, an Australian-best result.
“You need to be big, very fast and very strong,” Pittman said of her skills for Bobsleigh.
“We push a sled weighing 130 – 140kg, so that is a lot of weight to push. You have got to run really fast, get in the back and hold on for dear life.”
Pittman will act as brakewoman for two-time Olympian and former track partner Astrid Radjenovic, who has been a part of every female Bobsleigh Olympic campaign in which the country has competed. The pair trained together 15 years ago under Jackie Byrnes.
“Jana trains very hard and has brought a good work ethic to our strength and conditioning,” Radjenovic said.
“As for the bobsled side of things she was as much a rookie as everyone else! However she has worked hard to learn fast and contribute a lot to the team.”
Since retiring from track and field, Pittman has been doing a lot more weights and is now faster than when she was World Champion.
“It is strange to think I am quicker now than when I was a track and field athlete but that has come with all the power and weights I have been doing,” she said.
“I have gone up in strength by probably 30% since I was a track and field athlete.”
But strength and speed are not the only major differences between her former sport and Bobsleigh.
“I think it is more fun,” she said. “You are in a team sport, so it is not about you anymore. It is more about the pilot than the brakeman.”
Pittman is realistic about the women’s Olympic results and is enjoying the lack of pressure compared to her days in track and field.
“I am not competing for a gold medal, I am competing because I love it,” said Pittman who is hoping for a top eight finish in Sochi.
“We still want to do very well but the pressure is slightly different to what it was previously.”
When she takes to the ‘track’ in Sochi, her recognition in the history books will continue to grow, as she becomes the first Australian female to compete in a Summer and Winter Games. Paul Narracott, also an Athletics (1984 Olympics) and Bobsleigh (1992 Olympics) Olympian was the nation’s first.
Also making similar history will be competitors Lolo Jones and Lauryn Williams, who are American track and field Olympians turned Bobsleigh athletes.
Pittman will compete in the women’s 2-Man bobsleigh event in the evening on Tuesday 18 February and Wednesday 18 February at the Sanki Sliding Centre.