Fiebig Switches to Team USA Bobsled
The 36-year-old former German bobsledder will race for the U.S. program this season after being left off Germany's Olympic team.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Olympics
Leonie Fiebig, a decorated bobsledder with 29 major international medals, has left the German women's team and will race for the United States this season. She announced the move on Sunday, days after competing in USA Bobsled's annual push championships.
Why it matters
Fiebig's switch brings a veteran medal winner into the U.S. women's program ahead of the upcoming World Cup season. It also reflects the shifting roster landscape that follows Olympic team selection decisions.
Fiebig has won 29 major international medals, including a 2023 two-woman world title with Kim Kalicki for Germany and golds in nine other World Cup races. Bujnowski, who will also drive for the U.S. program, has eight World Cup medals and two world championship medals.
The players
Leonie Fiebig
A 36-year-old bobsledder who previously won major international medals for Germany, including a 2023 two-woman world title, and who attended college at Memphis.
Kristen Bujnowski
A bobsledder with eight World Cup medals and two world championship medals who helped Canada finish fifth in the two-woman event at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
USA Bobsled
The national governing body that runs the American bobsled program, including its annual push championships.
The details
Fiebig announced in a social media post that she is racing for Team USA. She was not selected for Germany's team at the Milan Cortina Olympics in February and had competed in USA Bobsled's annual push championships last month. Kristen Bujnowski also announced she would drive for the U.S. women's bobsled program.
Timeline
February 2026: Fiebig was not selected for Germany's Milan Cortina Olympics team.
October 2026: Fiebig competed in USA Bobsled's push championships.
November 1, 2026: Fiebig announced she will race for Team USA.
Season Trajectory
The move adds two experienced medal-winning pilots to the U.S. women's program as it prepares for the upcoming World Cup season. Bujnowski's 2022 Beijing result with Canada, where she helped finish fifth in two-woman, provides a recent benchmark for what she brings to the American lineup.
The addition of Fiebig and Bujnowski gives the U.S. women's program two veteran pilots for World Cup competition this season. Fans following American bobsled can track their results across the upcoming World Cup schedule starting in early December.
The takeaway
Athlete moves between national programs can quickly reshape a country's medal prospects, so watch early World Cup results to gauge how the new pairings perform. Following the season schedule will show whether Fiebig and Bujnowski translate their track records into U.S. podium finishes.
What happens next
Fiebig will be eligible to compete in World Cup races as the season's World Cup schedule begins in early December 2026.
Further reading
Explore more Olympics coverage to see how national bobsled rosters are shaping up ahead of the next games.
