Love on the Slide: Kaysha Love’s Fast Track From Herriman to Olympic Bobsled Glory
On the eve of competition in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Kaysha Love is racing more than the clock. The Herriman native arrives at these Winter Games as a monobob world champion, an advocate for Salt Lake’s Olympic future and one half of a bobsled power couple — engaged to teammate Hunter Powell. Love’s blend of speed, leadership and hometown pride has made her one of the stories to watch as the bobsled schedule kicks off next week.
From brakeman to pilot: a personal climb to the driver’s seat
Love first experienced the Olympics as a brakeman in 2022, a role that taught her the value of a perfect start while leaving her hungrier for influence over outcomes. The seventh-place finish in Beijing stung, and it pushed her to take the reins. Four years on, she pilots her own sled in both monobob and two-woman events and has emerged as a medal favorite in Italy.
Her path to the driver’s seat has been deliberate. Love sharpened her sprint background into elite push speed and combined it with technical driving skill, a transition that has reshaped her role on the U. S. team. Beyond performance, she has worked to shape team culture, bringing close teammates into the fold and prioritizing cohesion as much as split times.
A Utah ambassador with Olympic ambitions
Love wears her Utah roots visibly. She serves as an ambassador for efforts to return the Winter Games to Salt Lake in 2034 and has spoken about the pride of seeing her community rally around local athletes. Her connection to home is personal: Herriman remains a base of support and a central part of her identity as she competes on the world stage.
The pilot’s influence reaches beyond cheering sections. She recruited longtime friends and former track teammates to the bobsled program, including a bridesmaid who now serves as one of her brakewomen. That personal network has translated into on-track chemistry: brakemen provide the explosive starts and also take on key mechanical and logistical duties for the sleds, and Love’s trust in those teammates is part of her competitive edge.
Love and Powell: teammates on the ice, partners off it
Kaysha Love and Hunter Powell’s relationship began on the track and evolved into shared Olympic dreams. The two met during college track competitions, and Love later introduced Powell to bobsled. He embraced the sport, quickly finding a fit that matched his athletic background. The pair became engaged in July 2025 and are planning a September wedding, a milestone that has only strengthened their bond as they chase medals together.
Their personal story is woven into the competitive timeline: Love is a returning Olympian and reigning monobob world champion, while Powell makes his Olympic debut here. The couple spent Valentine’s Day together in Italy, a small comfort when many competitors are separated from loved ones by travel and timing.
What to watch: schedule and expectations
Bobsled competition begins February 15. The women’s monobob first run is set for 9: 30 a. m. ET, followed by the second run at 10: 30 a. m. ET. With her recent form and world-championship pedigree, Love is widely expected to contend for a podium finish in both monobob and the two-woman event.
Beyond medals, Love’s presence at these Games represents a larger arc: a hometown athlete who has moved from support role to leadership, who brings friends and family into a high-performance environment, and who uses her platform to promote the sport and her community. As sleds slide and times fall, Love’s season will be measured in hundredths of a second — and in the momentum she’s built for the future of U. S. bobsled.
