Vonetta Flowers

Vonetta Flowers is a trailblazing bobsledder and former track and field athlete. She made history at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City by becoming the first African American -- and the first Black athlete from any nation -- to win a gold medal at the Winter Games, triumphing in the inaugural women's two-woman bobsled event alongside driver Jill Bakken.

Flowers showcased athletic talent from a young age. She excelled in track and field, earning a scholarship to the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she became a seven-time NCAA All-American and secured 35 conference titles. Despite qualifying for the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1996 and 2000, she did not make the Olympic team, placing 12th in the long jump in 2000.

Flowers' introduction to bobsledding was serendipitous. Her husband, Johnny Flowers, also a track athlete, brought home a flyer for U.S. bobsled team tryouts. When he suffered a hamstring injury, she stepped in and quickly impressed coaches with her speed and strength, becoming the top brakewoman in the U.S. within months.

At the 2002 Winter Olympics, Flowers and Bakken clinched gold with a combined time of 1:37.76, marking the first U.S. bobsled medal in 46 years. Their victory was not only a personal triumph but also a significant milestone in Olympic history, breaking racial barriers in winter sports. Flowers was honored by carrying the U.S. flag during the closing ceremonies.

After the 2002 Games, Flowers took a brief hiatus to start a family. She returned to bobsledding, teaming up with driver Jean Prahm. The duo won a bronze medal at the 2004 World Championships and finished sixth at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, after which she retired.

In recognition of her achievements, Flowers was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2011. Her story continues to inspire, exemplifying resilience, adaptability, and the breaking of racial and gender barriers in sports.