UNEDITED: You Are Going To Crash. Often.

We want to hear from YOU. Whether you’ve watched a full interview, tuned into our social content, or rooted for women athletes from afar — you’re part of our community. Take our 5–10 min Community Survey: https://lnkd.in/eJBi3Xme ------ “You have to come to accept that you’re going to crash—and you’re going to crash a lot.” For Canadian bobsleigh pilot Cynthia Appiah, pushing limits isn’t a metaphor—it’s daily reality. From Olympic heartbreak to recently coming in Fourth at World Championship, Cynthia’s journey has been defined by grit, reinvention, and resilience. Originally a hammer thrower and shot putter at York University, Cynthia didn’t see herself going beyond collegiate track. But everything changed one summer when the Ontario bobsleigh team hosted open tryouts—right on her campus. “I was already here. I might as well try it out,” she remembers. The testing included sprints, jumps, lifts, and medicine ball tosses. Athletes who hit 600 points were invited to continue—and Cynthia did. “That pretty much got the ball rolling to where I’m at now.” But it hasn’t been smooth. When she was named an alternate just two weeks before the 2018 Olympics, she was crushed. “I basically paused my life...to put every single ounce of strength, every dollar, blood, sweat, and tears into this.” The decision devastated her—but it also lit a new fire. She transitioned to pilot, took the wheel, and found her voice: “I will always credit bobsleigh with me finding who I am as a person and finding my voice.” Today, she’s a pioneer in women’s monobob—an event leveling the playing field with standardized equipment—and she’s fourth in the world going into the next Olympics. In this episode, Cynthia shares what it takes to stay in the game: managing brutal financial barriers, crashing (literally), and keeping the faith when doors slam shut. Her advice to up-and-comers? “Really tap into your network. You don’t know who might be the door that opens for you.” And to her younger self? “I wish I knew how to use my voice sooner and be more comfortable in my skin.” This is a raw and powerful conversation about failure, comeback, and why Cynthia refuses to let the sport—or the system—define her. Photo credit: Sportsnet.com -------- Flame Bearers is a multimedia movement, illuminating the unsung stories of elite women athletes from around the world. We tell stories via podcast, video, and live events and have worked with over 350 exceptional women athletes from 55 countries and counting. For more videos about elite women athletes, subscribe to our YouTube channel ► /@flamebearers Follow us - Instagram - /flamebearers Facebook - /flamebearerspodcast LinkedIn - /flame-bearers TikTok - /flame_bearers X - /flame_bearers Our Website- https://flamebearers.com/ Leave a comment and tell us what you liked in the video. If you like the content, subscribe to our channel!