American bobsledders Elana Myers and Lauryn Williams made Olympic history for their home country on Feb. 19, winning silver in the two-woman bobsled event at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
Williams, 30, won a gold medal in the 100-meter sprint relay race during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. She hoped to become the first American woman to win a gold medal in both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, but came up just a bit short. However, winning silver as the driver in the two-woman race still put her in the history books as the first American woman to win any medal in both seasons.
“I didn’t come here to make history,” Williams said after the event, according to Fox Sports. “I came here to help Team USA and I feel like I did. It wasn’t about history for me. It wasn’t about the medal for me. It’s all about the journey.”
Williams’ teammate Meyers also etched her place in history by becoming the first U.S. woman to win multiple Olympic medals in a bobsled event. Meyers, 29, won a bronze medal as the brakeman in the two-woman bobsled event during the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.
Fellow Americans Jamie Greubel and Aja Evans also placed in the event, earning the bronze medal. American hurdler Lolo Jones, who switched to the bobsled event in hopes of winning her first Olympic medal, paired up with American Jasmine Fenlator but finished in 11th place.
Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyse of Canada took home the gold medal. Brazilians Sally Mayara Da Silva and Fabiana Santos, who survived a horrific accident during a practice run on Feb. 16, finished in 19th place.
