During the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, the four-man bobsleigh competition had to be halted on Saturday when the Austrian sled overturned at a speed of 117 km/h in the final fourth segment of the track. This incident caused significant concern as the athletes were involved in a high-speed crash, raising questions about the safety protocols in place for such high-stakes competitions.

The athletes Jakob Mandlbauer, Daniel Bertschler, Sebastian Mitterer, and Daiyehan Nichols-Bardi were aboard the sled when it flipped over. Following the accident, pilot Mandlbauer remained on the track while his teammates managed to walk to safety. Emergency personnel promptly arrived to assist Mandlbauer, who was eventually carried off the course on a stretcher. The incident not only disrupted the race but highlighted the risks associated with this winter sport.

The competition was paused for approximately 20 minutes to attend to Mandlbauer and to repair damages to the track caused by the crash. Prior to this unfortunate event, the Austrian team was positioned 21st following their first run. This incident raises concerns about athlete safety and the potential need for revised regulations to prevent such occurrences during competitive events in similar extreme sports settings.