The U.S. Performance Center trains bobsled and skeleton athletes without snow or ice.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. β With one year remaining until the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, elite athletes are finding their competitive edge in an unlikely location: Charlotte, North Carolina.
The U.S. Performance Center, despite its distance from snow and ice, has become a crucial training ground for American winter sports athletes, particularly those training for bobsled and skeleton competitions.
“This facility is state of the art. And not just for myself as a winter athlete, but all the athletes that train here,” said Elliot Markuson, a U.S. bobsled Olympic hopeful who trains at the center.
The facility serves as a primary training location for more than a dozen U.S. national teams and athletes. What makes it unique is its ability to prepare winter sports competitors without traditional winter elements.
Markuson explains their training approach.
“A lot of it’s, like you see in here, a lot of power, strength-based training, speed, fast twitch movement, which we can all do here,” he said, “and we have [an] amazing facility and equipment that we can test all our numbers weekly, so we can track our progress.”
The center’s high-tech equipment and specialized training programs help athletes maintain peak performance year-round. For Olympic hopefuls like Markuson, the facility provides essential tools for reaching their dreams of competing on the world stage.
“It’s an honor to represent our country, especially in a niche winter sport,” Markuson said.
As American athletes prepare for next year’s Winter Olympic Games, the U.S. Performance Center continues to play a vital role in developing American talent in winter sports, proving that Olympic dreams can take root even in the warm climate of North Carolina.
Contact Myles Harris at mharris5@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X andΒ Instagram.
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