Because the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo method, a well-known identify is coaching laborious to make historical past—not on the monitor, however on the ice. Manteo Mitchell, the sprinter-turned-bobsledder from Shelby, North Carolina, is pursuing an audacious purpose: to develop into the primary African American man to win medals in each the Summer season and Winter Olympic Video games.
This achievement has solely been achieved by six athletes in Olympic historical past. For Mitchell, the journey is just not solely about medals; it’s about legacy, resilience, and redefining what is feasible.
Mitchell first caught the world’s consideration throughout the 2012 Summer season Olympics in London. Working the primary leg of the 4×400 meter relay, he suffered a devastating harm when his fibula snapped mid-race. Nevertheless, as a substitute of collapsing, he powered via and completed his lap on a damaged leg, serving to Crew USA keep in rivalry. His teammates rallied to qualify for the finals and in the end earned a silver medal. Mitchell obtained one as properly for his effort within the prelims.
That second outlined him as extra than simply an athlete; it revealed the center of a warrior. Few knew, nonetheless, that this is able to solely be the start of his story.
4 years later, Mitchell skilled a near-fatal automotive accident that shattered his proper foot—the identical leg that had been injured in 2012. Each bone was damaged and each ligament torn. But, even from his hospital mattress, his ideas remained targeted on the Olympics. This battle was not solely bodily but additionally psychological. Mitchell struggled with PTSD and psychological blocks following the accident, however he refused to let these challenges outline him. He started working with the Apex Mind Middle, present process neurological coaching to boost his focus and reflexes.
Via in depth bodily remedy and psychological coaching, he made a full restoration. Though he missed the Rio Video games, Mitchell’s dedication remained unwavering. Every setback grew to become gas for his comeback.
In an surprising flip, Mitchell’s path to Olympic redemption shifted in direction of winter sports activities. After the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Video games and dealing with uncertainty in monitor and subject, he obtained a name from Aaron McGuire, the CEO of USA Bobsled-Skeleton.
And it clicked.
Mitchell excelled on the bobsled mix in Lake Placid, securing a spot on the nationwide workforce. He has made the workforce yearly since.
Now as he approaches age 38, Mitchell serves because the brakeman on a four-person bobsled—a task that calls for explosive pace, precision, and teamwork. Because the brakeman, his main accountability is to push the sled on the race’s begin and shortly leap in. This requires not solely bodily energy but additionally psychological focus and coordination. Coaching is intense, involving weightlifting, dash drills, plyometrics, and psychological conditioning. Each run, lasting just below a minute, should be flawless; each motion counts.
What units Mitchell aside isn’t just his bodily energy—it’s his psychological edge. After grappling with PTSD and psychological blocks post-accident, he started working with the Apex Mind Middle. He now undergoes neurological coaching, together with metronome workouts, eye monitoring, and vibration remedy to boost his focus and reflexes.
All through all of it, Mitchell stays grounded in what issues most: his household. He’s a husband, a father of two, and a dreamer decided to be the function mannequin he by no means had rising up. His household is his anchor, supply of energy, and inspiration. Throughout exercises, he listens to songs that includes Minnie Mouse—not for nostalgia, however as a result of it reminds him of his two-year-old daughter, Melody.
Mitchell’s pursuit isn’t solely about breaking data; it’s about breaking boundaries. If he wins a medal in Milan, he’ll develop into the primary African American man to realize this in each Olympic seasons. Nevertheless, he isn’t letting that stress devour him.
As we have a good time Black excellence in sports activities, Manteo Mitchell’s story stands as a testomony to perseverance, reinvention, and influence. His journey from the Olympic monitor in London to the bobsled monitor in Milan proves that greatness isn’t confined to a single lane—or a single season.
Whether or not or not he clinches the gold in 2026, Manteo Mitchell has already made historical past.