Western Pennsylvania native named to U.S. bobsled team for 2026 Winter Olympics
Jasmine Jones, a Greensburg, Pennsylvania, native, is a former Hempfield High School track and field star who is now heading to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina, Italy, as one of the newest members of Team USA's bobsled roster.
KDKA-TV spoke with Jones for a few minutes before a recent training session in Austria about how she is feeling after having achieved this huge milestone in her life.
"How did you feel when you officially got the call that said you were on the team?" KDKA-TV's Chris DeRose asked.
"Oh, my goodness! The way they did it was, we all met in Munich, Germany, and we had a meeting room, and everyone had been on pins and needles because nobody knew anything, and they kept pushing the time back. We finally got called into this room, and it's just an eerie feeling because even though I knew in my heart that I had made it, hearing my name called was completely different. My heart was racing, my hands were sweaty. It was definitely exciting."
Jones is not the only Olympian to recently come out of Hempfield High School. In 2024, her former Spartan teammate, Bridget Williams, competed in the 2024 Summer Olympics as a pole vaulter, placing 22nd overall. Jones says the two have remained close and that Williams has been very supportive of her.
After Hempfield, Jones was a Mid-American Conference champion sprinter at Eastern Michigan University. And it was at EMU where she says she was first recruited by Team USA for the bobsled.
Aside from being an athlete, Jones is also a proud member of the United States Air Force and a mother to a little girl. She says her family, especially her mother, has been a rock for her while she has chased her dreams.
"My mom has been having a blast just sharing every time in this journey and posting everything that she sees," Jones said. "And she is embellishing it as well because of everything she went through, as well as watching my daughter during this time. They are just as excited for me as much as I am, maybe even more, of just seeing me on the screen and knowing how much I can do, especially going into these Olympics and potentially, hopefully, medaling. Just having their faith in me means so much; it means the most. They are really excited."
The 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina, Italy, begin this Friday, Feb. 6, and the bobsled competition pushes off on Sunday, Feb. 15.
Happening right now is a t-shirt sale being put on by Jasmine's family to help raise money to get Jasmine's mother and a few family members over to Italy to see Jasmine compete.
'Team Jones' t-shirts are available, starting at $24 for adults, and they will be accepting orders through this Wednesday.