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Top Women's Bobsled Team: Racine & Davidson
When it comes to women's bobsled, Jean Racine and Jen Davidson are the best of the best: Two time World Champions. Olympic Specialist Shelley Osterloh reports.
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(Nov. 10, 2001)------Jean Racine and Jen Davidson also led the fight to get women's bobsleigh into the Olympics, and now they hope to lead the way to the podium in 2002.
You'll see it every race. Powerful and fast Jen Davidson leaps to warm her muscles.
Mentally strong Jean Racine stares down the track with determination and unwavering focus.
A pat on the back, team salute, snap of the helmet and they are off.
For Jean and Jen, it's a winning ritual.
Jean Racine: "WE LOVE WHAT WE DO, AND WHEN YOU ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE GOOD AT WHAT YOU LOVE, IT MAKES EVERYTHING WORTH IT.
Jen Davidson: "AND WHEN YOU CAN DO IT WITH YOUR BEST FRIEND..."
Jean Racine: "EXACTLY."
The pair teamed up in 1998. Racine had switched from luge to bobsled and was looking for a brakeman.
Utah native Davidson was working as an exercise physiologist.
Shelley Osterloh/Eyewitness News: "DAVIDSON WAS A TRACK STAR AT UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY, AND IN 1996 SHE WAS THE BIG WEST CONFERENCE CHAMPION IN 100 METER HURDLES -- SKILLS SHE'S EASILY TRANSFERRED TO BOBSLED."
The two became fast friends and the winningest American team-- a team you're likely to see a lot.
From "Got Milk" advertisements to interviews and photo shoots for top magazines. One dubbed them the "Bobsled Hotties."
From Adidas to Northwestern Mutual, sponsors are lining up. Soon you'll see their smiling faces on Kellogg's cereal boxes.
Jean Racine: "WE'RE DOING WHAT WE LOVE, AND THE FACT THAT WE'VE GOTTEN THIS ATTENTION IS LIKE, BONUS. THIS IS JUST ENJOYING THE RIDE."
Jen Davidson: "WE'VE GOT TO DO SOME REALLY COOL THINGS, THAT WE NEVER WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO OTHERWISE."
While the media attention is fun, they hope the image they project is serious.
Jen Davidson: "I THINK WE'RE BREAKING THE STEREOTYPES. JEAN AND I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GAIN WEIGHT ALL SUMMER LONG SO WE COULD MAKE OUR SLED LIGHTER, SO WE COULD PUSH IT FASTER. THIS IS DEFINITELY A TIME WHERE IT'S OKAY TO BE FIT AND IT'S OKAY TO BE STRONG, AND YOU CAN STILL BE FEMININE AND YOU CAN STILL HAVE YOUR NAILS DONE AND YOU CAN STILL HAVE IT ALL. AND DON'T EVER LET ANYONE TELL YOU YOU CAN'T DO IT."
That attitude carried them through nearly two years of lobbying to get women into the Olympic Games.
And now, they have the chance to make history as the first women to win in Olympic Bobsleigh.
Jean Racine: "WE COULD WIN THE GOLD IN 2002, WE MIGHT NOT. I NEVER WANT TO SET MYSELF UP FOR ANYTHING. I JUST WANT TO ENJOY THE RIDE.. ENJOY THE JOURNEY."
Jen Davidson: "YOU KNOW, I THINK ABOUT THAT EVERY NIGHT BEFORE I GO TO BED WHEN I DO MY MENTAL TRAINING. AND THE LAST THING I DO BEFORE I FALL ASLEEP, I SEE MYSELF AT THE TOP OF THAT PODIUM AND HEARING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM, WITH ONE OF THOSE MEDALS AROUND MY NECK. AND I CAN'T IMAGINE THERE WOULD BE A BETTER FEELING AFTER FOUR YEARS IN THE SPORT."
Last season was clearly their best yet, and they are poised for a great year ahead. But they've had some struggles too.
Racine's mother, Cathy, died this summer from a rare liver disease, shattering Jean's dream to have her mother watch her compete in the Olympics.
But Jean says overcoming negative things will only strengthen her as an athlete.
