Short Bio
Kristen Bujnowski – Bobsleigh Brakeman, 2022 Olympian, 2018 Olympic Alternate, World Championship Medalist 2019, 2020, Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton Athlete’s Commission 2020 - presentWritten Statement
Hi my name is Kristen Bujnowski, I am a bobsleigh athlete who competed in the 2022 Olympics in China and was an alternate at the 2018 Olympics in South Korea. I have been one of the lowest ranked athletes and I have been a medal hopeful and therefore can relate to many levels of Olympic athletes. I am not always the loudest voice in the room but I like to think of myself as an empathetic and understanding teammate and friend.
I joined the Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton Athlete Commission in 2020 because I saw a lot of things I did not like happening to my teammates and I wanted to have the knowledge and ability to help them. I have also seen first-hand many issues with governance in our sporting system and I would love to be a part of a positive change for not only bobsleigh but other struggling NSOs. If I were a member of the COC athlete commission my hope would be to be a voice for the underdogs of sport. Something I feel very passionately about is the treatment and respect that is given to Olympic Alternates, I recognize that this makes up a very small percentage of Olympic Athletes but having been one and teammates with many; I know how critical but also overlooked they are. I believe every athlete deserves a voice but there are quite a few that are often overlooked for more glamorous positions or sports.
It would be an honour to be one of the winter athletes on the COC Athletes Commission, I hope to be able to make a positive impact on the current athletes and help to foster a better sporting environment for the athletes to come.