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Olympic Icon Elana Myers Taylor Believes Jamaica’s Adana Johnson is the Future of Bobsled
Written by Leighton Levy. Posted in Winter Sports. | 04 July 2025 | 816 Views
Tags: Bobsleigh, adanna johnson, Elana Myers Taylor

At just 17 years old, Adana Johnson is steering her way into the international spotlight—literally. The former gymnast turned bobsled pilot has already represented Jamaica on some of the world’s toughest tracks, and under the guidance of five-time Olympic medalist Elana Myers Taylor, she’s showing the kind of promise that has the bobsled world paying attention.

Johnson, a former student of Immaculate Conception High School, was recruited into the sport through Jamaica Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation President Chris Stokes, who reached out to her gymnastics coach during his search for athletic talent.

“When he asked, I didn’t know what it was or anything,” Johnson admitted. “So I looked it up and I said, ‘Oh, this is cool—I wanted to try it.’”

She tried out, was selected, and soon- in 2022-  found herself in Lake Placid—a world away from Kingston—learning to navigate ice at frightening speeds.

“It was scary at first,” she said, “but I think also as you go through with the runs, that kind of goes away, and I just enjoyed it after that.”

It was in Lake Placid that she met Elana Myers Taylor, one of the most decorated athletes in the history of the sport. Through a programme created by the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation, Myers Taylor was paired with Johnson as a mentor—a connection the American champion calls “serendipitous.”

“Chris Stokes has been talking to me for a while about working with the team, and I offered my services,” said Myers Taylor. “So it was just like serendipitous that we got paired together as well—or maybe he put in a good word, I’m not really sure. But Adana’s great, so it’s really been fun working with her thus far. She’s a real talent in the front seat—you’ve just got to get some wheels behind her.”

The mentorship is structured around monthly meetings, but Myers Taylor is constantly accessible.

“She’s got my number at all times,” she said. “I’m available to her whenever she needs—whether it’s specific driving lines on a track, or anything like how to mentally handle things. I even lent her runners last year, though she didn’t end up using them. But I’m going to continue helping in any capacity I can.”

Johnson’s progress in just over a year has impressed even a veteran like Myers Taylor.

“She’s very mature for her age,” said Myers Taylor. “I mean, she was competing against me at World Championships. I’ve been sliding as long as she’s been alive—we’re in the same race—and she handled it like a champ. That’s not an easy thing to do. The questions she asks are really insightful—I’ve even said, ‘Hey, I didn’t even think about it that way.’”

Johnson has already competed at international level in PyeongChang, South Korea in February 2023, and most recently in Lake Placid in March 2025, part of her effort to qualify for the Youth Olympic Games.

“If I compare my first run in Lake Placid to now, I do think I’ve come a far way,” she said. “Just how I exit and enter corners, and the lines that I take. I’ve also improved my pushing, but again there’s still a lot to work on. But I’m proud of where I am.”

Myers Taylor believes that with the right support, Johnson could achieve even more.

“She’s got Todd Hays as her coach—he was my coach, taught me how to drive,” she said. “He’s the best person for the job, and if anyone can help her get to the Olympics, it’s him. And trust me, I was much harder to work with than Adana.”

Still, there are physical challenges that come with age. Johnson is still growing and developing the strength and explosiveness required to compete at senior level.

“She’s not even a full-grown woman yet,” Myers Taylor explained. “She’ll have to expedite the timeline on the push a bit, but driving-wise she’s going to be able to make a lot of progress. It’s just a matter of how much she can gain physically this year.”

Despite the pressure of representing a small tropical nation in a winter sport, Johnson remains grounded.

“She sets really good goals for herself,” said Myers Taylor. “She doesn’t get too far ahead of herself. Sometimes we just focus on a portion of the track in a race—just the top half—and we ignore the rest. She breaks things down well, and I think her gymnastics background helps with that. She’s very critical of herself, though. She expects perfection, and I’m like, ‘Adana, I’ve been doing this forever—I’m not driving perfectly!’”

For Myers Taylor, working with Jamaica holds deep personal meaning.

“For me, it’s something very special because these are my roots,” she said. “I came into this bobsled journey because of Vonetta Flowers in the U.S. in 2002. Now, to be able to give back to my own country—my roots—after such a long journey in this sport... I just hope the sport continues to grow.”

She added, “When I started bobsled, I didn’t own a winter coat. I came from Georgia—not exactly tropical, but definitely not a winter sport state. So if I can figure it out, I know we can find homegrown talent in Jamaica too.”

As for Johnson, she’s focused on steady growth. “I just hope to continue improving,” she said. With the mentorship of a legend and a federation committed to her progress, that improvement looks more like a matter of when, not if.