Heather Moyse takes big step in bobsleigh comeback
2-time Olympic champion pushes near personal-best time in training run
Canadian bobsledder Heather Moyse took a big step towards returning to competition by approaching her personal-best push time during a training session in Calgary in late November.
Bobsleigh Canada confirmed that Moyse recorded a time of 5.44 seconds, just 0.01 of a second off the time she recorded during the 2013-14 season.
That push time is significant because it comes in below the qualifying standard time and clears the way for Moyse to enter international events. Moyse will make her return in Winterberg, Germany, on Dec. 9.
Moyse was confident that she would eventually meet the standard, but was surprised for it to happen so early in her return.
"There was actually a bit of anxiety and apprehension going into the push testing — just having no idea what I was going to push," Moyse told CBC Sports.
"At this point in my progression that's what made me feel surprised."
Moyse, 39, won Olympic gold as the brakeman for Kaillie Humphries in 2010 and 2014 before retiring from the sport.
Going for 3rd gold with Humphries?
In September, the Summerside, P.E.I., native announced her return to bobsleigh and speculation quickly turned to whether she would reunite with Humphries to go for a third gold at the Winter Games in February.
Bobsleigh Canada has said the competition to be Humphries's brakeman remains open. For now, Moyse will most likely be paired with either Alysia Rissling, who invited Moyse back to the team, or Christine De Bruin.
Humphries, who was surprised by Moyse's decision to come out of retirement, has had a strong start to the season with brakeman Melissa Lotholz, winning twice and adding a silver in three World Cup appearances (as of Nov 30.)
Moyse's comeback attempt is similar to the fall of 2013 when she returned from an injury and went on to win gold with Humphries in Sochi.
Moyse indicated that this season will be a balancing act as she makes her way back.
"It's a juggling act with my body. It's getting the amount of reps in to be able to gel with a new driver and be able to help in that capacity, but also not doing so many runs that my body [breaks down]," said Moyse.
"My body right now is posting good times, but it's kind of making sure that I'm able to continually post the time and take care of balancing both of those things."