Benjamin COAKWELL

Historical Results

10 Speed

Abstract painting, watching movies, spending time with friends, listening to music.

Athlete

Bachelor of Science from the University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon, CAN).

English

National: Todd Hays (USA)
Personal: Quin Sekulich (CAN)

Crew

Athletics: Represented the University of Saskatchewan as a sprinter. In 2011, he placed eighth in the 60m at the Winnipeg CanWest Track & Field Championships.

Canadian football: Played for the University of Saskatchewan from 2005 to 2011. As a running back, he led the team in scoring and rushing in his final two seasons.

2012 World Cup in Lake Placid (Two-man - 13th)

February 2014: Dislocated his collarbone, tore a chest muscle and suffered ice burn in a crash in the second run of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. Coakwell was unable to compete in the final two runs of the event, with Team Canada eventually placing 27th.

2012

Was recruited to bobsleigh while he was still in university, making the national team shortly after attending a camp in March 2012. (bobsleighcanadaskeleton.ca)

Dreamed of being an Olympian since he was a child, so when it came time to decide between pursing a professional career in Canadian football or bobsleigh, he chose the latter. “It’s just a crazy expression of explosive power. It’s something that I can’t explain to people and everybody gets it as soon as they try it. You get wrapped up in it and it’s hard to get out of it.” (olympic.ca; csc-sask.ca, 16 Dec 2021)

To win a gold medal at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games. "That’s not a secret. We don’t pretend to say that it’s not. We feel like we can win and we’re going to do everything we can to win. We definitely have the ability to do it. It’s just a matter of showing up on the day, which is a huge thing at the Games, because it’s the Games.” (csc-sask.ca, 16 Dec 2021)

Playing in his home stadium in 2006 for the Vanier Cup, Canada's gridiron university championship game. (canadianathletesnow.ca; usask.ca, 3 Feb 2014)

Football player Bo Jackson (USA), a dual-threat who simultaneously played for both the Kansas City Royals [Major League Baseball] and the Oakland Raiders [American football]. In 1990, he became the first athlete to play in All-Star games in two of the major North American sports leagues. (ibsf.org)

Bobsledder Jesse Lumsden (CAN), three-time Olympian, two-time World Championships medallist, whose transition from the track to the ice chute inspired Coakwell to try out bobsleigh. (Info 2018)

Bart Arnold, Kineseology professor and strength coach for the University of Saskatchewan football team. "He taught me how to tap into my abilities and improve them at a point in my life that allowed me to become the athlete I am today." (canadianathletesnow.ca)

Watches the movie "The Last Samurai" the night before a race. "The main character comes from a difficult past of loneliness and emptiness. He finds himself in a situation that he can fight for what he believes in and ultimately his destiny is revealed to him."

Never eats tomatoes, as he believes it makes people slow. (canadianathletesnow.ca)

“He sendeth rain on the just and unjust alike.” – Matthew 5:45 (olympic.ca)

Saskatchewan Sport Athlete of the Month (December 2021)