World champion bobsledder Kaillie Humphries is officially an American citizen.
Humphries was sworn in as a citizen in San Diego on Thursday, enabling her to compete for the U.S. at the Beijing Winter Olympics. Not long after her citizenship meeting, the bobsledder was on a plane back to Europe for the weekend’s World Cup stops. On Saturday, she’ll attempt to meet international qualifying standards for the Olympics.
A two-time Olympic champion and three-time Olympic medalist for Canada, Humphries won the right to slide for the U.S. in 2019 after she left the Canadian team to find a safer work environment. The 36-year-old has been involved in a lengthy and ongoing dispute with Canadian bobsled officials over what she has said was an environment in which she was verbally abused, mentally abused and harassed.
“It was a long journey, this has been a team effort and feels amazing to have the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow,” Humphries said.
Now the bobsledder is able to head to Beijing for Team USA – increasing the team’s medal hopes in monobob and women’s bobsledding.
“It’s going to inject some enthusiasm into the team,” U.S. bobsled coach Mike Kohn said. “It’s going to let Kaillie be herself again. She’s had this on her mind all year. And now such a weight is off her shoulders.”