Austrian Bobsledder Rushed to Hospital After Sled Flips in Olympic Race
Austrian bobsled pilot Jakob Mandlbauer was stretchered off the course and taken to a hospital after his nearly 1,500-pound sled overturned during a race on Saturday, February 21, at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The incident unfolded during the second heat of the four-man final. While Mandlbauer's teammates—Daniel Bertschler, Sebastian Mitterer, and Daiyehan Nichols-Bardi—escaped without injury, the 27-year-old remained trapped in the wreckage.
Medics responded swiftly, and after a 20-minute delay, he was transported to a nearby hospital for evaluation.
Christoph Iglhauser, the Austrian team press attache, later confirmed that Mandlbauer had avoided serious injuries but was taken to the hospital as a precaution. “Jakob is on his way to hospital,” Iglhauser stated. “He’s not so bad. It’s just a check. Everyone else is fine. No injury, only a check. He’ll be fine.”
Reports from Krone indicated that Mandlbauer remained conscious throughout the ordeal, able to move his arms and head, though he did express discomfort in his neck. His teammates received treatment at the track while he was evaluated further.
During the run, Mandlbauer's sled lost control and flipped over with all four athletes inside. The sled continued to roll down the course upside down as they attempted to shield themselves from injury.
The crash also caused damage to the track, necessitating repairs by volunteers before the event could proceed.
“As a sliding community, we all want to see each other safe and healthy,” said broadcaster and former Olympic bobsled star John Jackson on the BBC. “Nobody likes to see athletes crashing, and you know things aren’t right because the medics are taking a little bit longer to take them off the track.”
According to Bild, Mandlbauer was taken to Ca’ Foncello Hospital, the same facility where U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn received treatment for a broken tibia during her Olympic downhill event on February 8.
This marked Mandlbauer’s Olympic debut. Prior to the Games, he expressed hopes of finding a consistent line for his runs. “If I can replicate my runs in the competition as well as in training, I’ll be very happy,” he said.
Since Mandlbauer’s team did not finish the race, they are officially out of contention for medals.
The final runs are scheduled for Sunday, February 22.
He added, “It’s a serious thing. We’re here to compete, that’s one thing, but we’re all mates; we all get along internationally so you never want to see anyone go down and their Olympic experience ending that way.”
Two additional crashes occurred during Saturday’s second heat, involving teams from France and Trinidad & Tobago; however, all athletes involved returned unscathed.
