Sport
20 February, 2026
'Grateful for everyone's support back home': Blizzard ready for Olympic debut
All eyes will be on Ararat's Sarah Blizzard early Saturday, February 21, as she competes in the first heats of the two-woman bobsleigh at the XXV Winter Olympics in Cortina, Italy.
Blizzard, born in Stawell but grew up in Ararat, has been sharing her journey and quest for the 2026 Olympics with Wimmera Mallee News over the past few months.
She was excited to reveal to readers in late January that she had made the team and had been busy preparing in the lead-up to the event, with Blizzard moving into the Olympic Village earlier this week.
Blizzard told Wimmera Mallee News just a couple of days out from her event that the team's training had gone well.
"We had four runs," she said.
"It is very, very hard to be consistent on the track, but I have learned a lot and have been able to improve on a lot of things.
"If I can put it all together on race day, I will be very happy, but I know it's going to be a challenge and I am going to have to be very focused to do that."
Blizzard said that despite the big challenge ahead of her, she has definitely shown signs of very good runs and pushes.
"I hope I can show that on the race," Blizzard said.
"The track, I think, is a little bit faster than when we were here for the testament, which is a good thing.
"It doesn't necessarily feel super fast, it's pretty smooth, and today we were hitting around 128km/h, give or take.
"It's not the fastest we go, but obviously it's not slow either."
Asked if there were any particular parts of the track that were difficult, and that viewers at home should keep a close eye on, Blizzard said the first four corners.
Corner one, corner two, corner three and corner four are very difficult, and also exit out of corner nine," she revealed.
"So everyone is struggling with the first four corners, but those first four corners, also, they're like absolute key parts of the track.
"And if you mess it up, it's really hard to make up time from there.
"So the focus is really on that.
"And then after those four corners, it gets very flowy from there.
"So that's what I'm going to be aiming to work on.
"That's also the part that's really hard to be consistent in."
Blizzard has had a couple of days of training and then spent time preparing the bobsleigh.
She said they have been sanding and polishing their runners to get them nice and sleek and fast for race day.
"Tomorrow, lots of rest getting the body ready, maybe a small stim workout," Blizzard said.
"Normally, a very little workout to get the muscles ready and firing for the next day.
"But, basically, before the training started, I had a long break where I wasn't sliding, so I was doing a lot of watching sleds and talking about different lines and talking about different lines on the track.
"When it was my turn to finally slide, I was able to put that into practice.
"And then from there on, we just put everything into the race."
Blizzard admitted that with not long to go, she was excited, but very, very focused.
She said the track was a challenge, and she doesn't have much experience on it or as a driver.
"I'm really very focused going into it, but also trying to relax in the lead up, because I don't want to be too much overthinking anything, or be focused too far out," Blizzard revealed.
The bobsled competition will consist of four runs over two days, the first run on International Ranking.
"The second run is reverse order on that," Blizzard explained.
"On that, the next day, the third run goes from the fastest or slowest times put down from the day before, which is a combination of one and two and then the top 20 get a fourth run, and that will go slowest to fastest.
"So in the end, the result is based on the combination of the four times."
Blizzard will be cheered on by her family; her dad and mum, along with her fiancé and one of his friends.
She said she was very, very lucky to have their support.
"It's amazing that they've come over," she said.
"My fiancée missed out on (my) qualifying for the games, so it's very nice that he has come this way to support me as well."
But Blizzard was thankful not only for her family's support, but also for the good-luck wishes she has received from Australia and her hometown.
"It's really nice coming from a small town," she said.
"It makes it feel like a really strong community.
"I've seen all the comments and messages from everyone.
"I haven't always been able to reply, but I have seen everything and all of the support from back home, and I think that just makes it even more special coming from a small town, because you know you know everyone, and everyone knows you.
"I think it just really brings for me, it feels like everyone's coming together a little bit to support me, which is really lovely.
"And I'm so grateful for everyone's support back home.
"I hope I can do you all proud, and show you what's possible coming from a small country town, and also what everyone from the Wimmera and Ararat is capable of as well."
Blizzard is one of 53 Australian athletes competing in 11 sports at the Olympics.
This year has been Australia's most successful, with the athletes claiming six medals to date; three gold, two silver and one bronze.
Blizzard was originally a sprinter before switching to bobsled in search of a new sport.
An alternate at the last Winter Olympics, this is Blizzard's first time on the biggest of stages, and her bobsled partner is Desi Johnson.
They will be in action from 4am (AEDT).