Post by : Rameen Ariff

Swiss Olympic sprinter Salome Kora is set to make a bold transition from athletics to bobsleigh as she aims to represent Switzerland at the Milano Cortina Winter Games next year. Known for her explosive speed on the track, Kora will compete as a brakewoman in the two-woman bobsleigh alongside pilot Inola Blatty, who is also a former sprinter making the switch to winter sports.

Kora, 31, has had a distinguished career in sprinting, competing in the 100 meters at the 2016, 2021, and 2024 Summer Olympics, and finishing seventh in the semi-finals at this year’s World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Reflecting on her move to bobsleigh, Kora told Olympics.com that her natural speed made the sport a perfect fit. “I'm not that talented in sports, except that I can run fast,” she said. “That’s why I think bobsleigh was the only option. You often see sprinters move to bobsleigh, so it was the obvious choice. It’s the physical challenge that drew me in.”

Kora made her World Cup debut at the season opener in Cortina d'Ampezzo in November, finishing 11th with Blatty, and improved to eighth place at Innsbruck, Austria a week later. She described the experience as a unique opportunity to compete at a high level in a completely different sport. “It’s a huge opportunity to get a feel of a completely different sport at a high level. I’m starting now and can be part of the World Cup right away—I don’t think that’s possible in any other sport—so I really wanted to seize this opportunity,” she said.

Despite her focus on bobsleigh, Kora plans to continue competing in track and field after the Winter Olympics. She has her eyes set on the Swiss Indoor Athletics Championships, which will take place just a week after the Games. “The sprint level in Switzerland is so high that I can’t afford to take a break,” she explained. “I don’t think I can do both long term, my body would probably not hold up. I’m still a track and field athlete.”

Kora’s transition highlights a growing trend of sprinters moving into bobsleigh, a path successfully taken by athletes such as Germany’s Alexandra Burghardt and American Lauryn Williams, who have both won medals in summer and winter Olympic disciplines. With her explosive speed and competitive experience, Salome Kora is set to make a significant impact on the bobsleigh circuit while maintaining her identity as a top-level sprinter.

This move not only showcases her versatility as an athlete but also emphasizes Switzerland’s ambition to make a mark in winter sports, blending talent from summer athletics into new arenas. Kora’s journey is expected to inspire other sprinters and strengthen Switzerland’s presence in bobsleigh competitions at the international level.

The combination of speed, strength, and strategy will be key for Kora and Blatty as they aim to achieve strong results at the 2026 Winter Olympics, making their debut a highly anticipated story in both athletics and winter sports communities worldwide.

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