U.S. bobsled push athlete Charlie Volker, a 2022 Olympian and contender to make the team headed to next month's Milan Cortina Games, has announced his medical retirement because of struggles to recover from a concussion he suffered earlier this season.
Volker — a former Princeton running back — revealed his decision Wednesday, less than two weeks before USA Bobsled and Skeleton will nominate its Olympic roster and less than a month before the start of the Milan Cortina Games.
“After sustaining a concussion earlier this season, struggling through the recovery process, and receiving further evaluation from our sports med team, I will officially be medically retiring from bobsled at this time,” Volker posted on social media. “I keep trying to remind myself that everything happens for a reason, but it’s going to hurt to not be out there with the guys.”
USA Bobsled confirmed that Volker — who helped pilot Frank Del Duca to a pair of fourth-place finishes in the two- and four-man events at last year's world championships — has decided to step away.
“Charlie is an exceptional bobsled athlete with outstanding character and professionalism,” USA Bobsled and Skeleton CEO Aron McGuire said. “Decisions like this are never easy, especially at this level, and I commend him for prioritizing his health and well-being. We’re grateful for the medical professionals supporting his recovery. He will certainly be missed for the remainder of the season, and we remain confident in the strength, depth, and resilience of our men’s bobsled program.”
Concussions are not uncommon in sliding sports, where athletes are in sleds that can reach speeds exceeding 80 mph. For bobsledders, the ride down the icy mountainside chute is hardly ever smooth, crashes can be very jarring and push athletes such as Volker often get shaken quite a bit during those runs that tend to last for about a minute.
The 28-year-old had not competed in a World Cup race this season. He came into the year seeming like a top contender for an Olympic team nod, especially after setting a team record in the push championships — essentially the start of the competitive season — in September.
Volker was paired with Hunter Church, who also has since retired, for the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Church drove to a 10th-place finish in two-man and a 27th-place showing in four-man at those Games.
Volker got his lone World Cup medal earlier that season, helping Church's sled to a third-place showing in a four-man race at Winterberg, Germany.
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