KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Lee’s Summit West High School graduate Caleb Furnell will represent Team USA at the Winter Olympics as a member of the four-man bobsled team.
Furnell’s mother, Margene, texted KSHB 41’s Megan Abundis with the news.
“A lot of big emotions,” she said. “I understand the tears now. It's a great comeback after St. Moritz and that viral moment. Even better when they do amazing things in Cortina.”
That “viral moment” occurred when the pilot of Furnell’s four-man team took a solo ride.
A stumble by Ryan Rager took down Hunter Powell and Furnell, leaving Kris Horn alone and without a teammate to pull the brakes.
ESPN reported none of the athletes were seriously injured, with all X-rays coming back negative.
When Abundis first spoke with Furnell, he said bobsledding wasn’t part of his original plan. However, a call from a friend changed everything.
"My friend called me up, and was like, 'Hey, there's a combine for bobsled. You should come out,'" Furnell recalled. "And I was like, 'Okay, sure.' The day before, no prep, went and did it. Turned out pretty well."
Furnell’s bread and butter was track and field, but his former high school coach said he’s confident Furnell can ace any athletic challenge thrown his way.
"I'm so proud of him, I'm so proud of him," said Michael Shortino, Lee's Summit West head boys track and field coach. "The power, the athleticism, the speed. I absolutely know why they pick him. He was a state champion in his sophomore year in high jump, and from then on, you knew his path was going to be a good path in whatever he did."
With the Winter Games set to begin Feb. 6, Furnell is one step closer to competing on the world's biggest stage.
"If he wanted something, he was going to find a way to get it," Margene Furnell said of her son. "It's a little surreal. You're like, oh yeah, that's my son."
Furnell’s family bought flights to Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, booked a place to stay, and purchased tickets to the bobsled races all before he was named to the team.
Now, they get to cash in and watch him represent his country.
"What I can't wait to see is the country see him represent USA," Shortino said. "We will be around a TV watching him for sure."
Joining Furnell’s four-man team are Kris Horn, Carsten Vissering and Hunter Powell. The other U.S. four-man bobsled team features Frank Del Duca, Josh Williamson, Boone Niederhofer and Bryan Sosoo.
The first four-man heat is slated for Saturday, Feb. 21. More information can be found here.
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