Randy Jones (bobsledder)
Encyclopedia
Randy Jones is an American
bobsledder. Jones competed in both the 2-man and 4-man events in four Winter Olympics.
and was a standout track and football star. Jones was a big part in leading the school to a state championship in track in 1986. Jones graduated from Glenn High School in 1987.
where he played football
and ran track
while earning a computer engineering
degree. Graduating from Duke in 1991, he still holds five team football records for Duke in kick returns and was also a record-setting track athlete.
Jones made his Olympic debut in 1994
in Lillehammer
, finishing 13th in the 2-man event. He came up short in the 1998 Winter Olympics
in Nagano as the 4-man team with driver Brian Shimer
and pushers Chip Minton
and Garrett Hines
missed by .02 seconds of winning a bronze medal
, finishing fifth. Jones also finished tenth in the 2-man event with Hines as his teammate in Nagano.
After winning four World Cup medals, 2002 saw Jones have the best year of his career in bobsledding. At the 2002 Winter Olympics
in Salt Lake City, Jones along with driver Todd Hays
, won a silver medal in the 4-man event. This marked the first time since 1956 that the United States
won a medal in men's bobsledding. Jones also won three medals in the four-man event at the FIBT World Championships
with a silver (2003
) and two bronzes (1993
, 1997
).
In 2005-06, Jones' best finish in the World Cup was second at the 4-man event held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He was at the 2006 Winter Olympics
, but did not run in either competition. Jones is now part of the United States Olympic Committee
and is widely considered as the most decorated bobsledder in U.S. history.
. Jones and his wife Cheri also have twins, Roman and Marissa, who reside with them in Atlanta, Georgia.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
bobsledder. Jones competed in both the 2-man and 4-man events in four Winter Olympics.
High school
Jones attended Robert B. Glenn High School in Kernersville, North CarolinaKernersville, North Carolina
Kernersville is a town in Forsyth County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 17,126 at the 2000 census. In 2007 the U.S. Census estimated the town's population at 22,309. Kernersville is located at the heart of the Piedmont Triad metropolitan area, which consists of the cities...
and was a standout track and football star. Jones was a big part in leading the school to a state championship in track in 1986. Jones graduated from Glenn High School in 1987.
College career
Jones attended Duke UniversityDuke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
where he played football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and ran track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
while earning a computer engineering
Computer engineering
Computer engineering, also called computer systems engineering, is a discipline that integrates several fields of electrical engineering and computer science required to develop computer systems. Computer engineers usually have training in electronic engineering, software design, and...
degree. Graduating from Duke in 1991, he still holds five team football records for Duke in kick returns and was also a record-setting track athlete.
Bobsledding career
Jones' track coach at Duke convinced him after graduating to tryout for the U.S. Bobsled team. Combined with a desire to see the world, Jones accepted the invitation to join the team. He won the National Brakeman and Side Push Championship twice in both 1992 and 1995, along with the World Cup and Overall Championship in 1992-93.Jones made his Olympic debut in 1994
1994 Winter Olympics
The 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 12 to 27 February 1994 in and around Lillehammer, Norway. Lillehammer failed to win the bid for the 1992 event. Lillehammer was awarded the games in 1988, after having beat...
in Lillehammer
Lillehammer
is a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. As of May 2011, the population of the town of Lillehammer was...
, finishing 13th in the 2-man event. He came up short in the 1998 Winter Olympics
1998 Winter Olympics
The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially the XVIII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 7 to 22 February 1998 in Nagano, Japan. Seventy-two nations and 2,176 participans contested in seven sports and 72 events at 15 venues. The games saw the introduction of Women's ice...
in Nagano as the 4-man team with driver Brian Shimer
Brian Shimer
Brian Shimer is an American bobsledder who has competed from 1985 to 2002. Competing in five Winter Olympics, he won the bronze medal in the four-man event at Salt Lake City in 2002....
and pushers Chip Minton
Chip Minton
Nathan "Chip" Minton III is an American bobsledder and professional wrestler who competed in the late 1990s in bobsleigh while competing full time in the now discontinued World Championship Wrestling .-Early life:...
and Garrett Hines
Garrett Hines
Garrett Hines is an American bobsledder who has competed from the late 1990s to the early 2000s. Competing in two Winter Olympics, he won the silver medal in the four-man event at Salt Lake City in 2002....
missed by .02 seconds of winning a bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
, finishing fifth. Jones also finished tenth in the 2-man event with Hines as his teammate in Nagano.
After winning four World Cup medals, 2002 saw Jones have the best year of his career in bobsledding. At the 2002 Winter Olympics
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
in Salt Lake City, Jones along with driver Todd Hays
Todd Hays
Todd Hays and raised in Del Rio, Texas is an American bobsledder who competed from 1994 to 2006. Competing in three Winter Olympics, he won the silver medal in the four-man event at Salt Lake City in 2002....
, won a silver medal in the 4-man event. This marked the first time since 1956 that the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
won a medal in men's bobsledding. Jones also won three medals in the four-man event at the FIBT World Championships
FIBT World Championships
The FIBT World Championships, part of the Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing , have taken place on an annual basis in non-Winter Olympic years since 1930. A two-man event was included in 1931 with a combined championship occurring in 1947...
with a silver (2003
FIBT World Championships 2003
The FIBT World Championships 2003 took place in Lake Placid, New York, United States , Winterberg, Germany , and Nagano, Japan . Lake Placid hosted the championship event for the eighth time, doing so previously in 1949, 1961, 1969, 1973, 1978, 1983, and 1997...
) and two bronzes (1993
FIBT World Championships 1993
The FIBT World Championships 1993 took place in Igls, Austria and La Plagne, France . This was Igls's fourth time hosting the championships, doing so previously in 1935 and 1963, and 1991 . Meanwhile, La Plagne was hosting its first championship event.-Selection issue:Igls was not the first...
, 1997
FIBT World Championships 1997
The FIBT World Championships 1997 took place in St. Moritz, Switzerland and Lake Placid, New York, United States . St. Moritz hosted a championship event for the record eighteenth time...
).
In 2005-06, Jones' best finish in the World Cup was second at the 4-man event held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He was at the 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
, but did not run in either competition. Jones is now part of the United States Olympic Committee
United States Olympic Committee
The United States Olympic Committee is a non-profit organization that serves as the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States and coordinates the relationship between the United States Anti-Doping Agency and the World Anti-Doping Agency and various...
and is widely considered as the most decorated bobsledder in U.S. history.
Personal life
Jones is married to his wife, Cheri, and currently resides in Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. Jones and his wife Cheri also have twins, Roman and Marissa, who reside with them in Atlanta, Georgia.