“It takes a great athlete to be a pusher, combining speed and strength,” said Hickey, speaking from Innsbruck, Austria, where the team is practicing. “But you need those attributes particularly in Albertville, where there’s a very flat start.”

So the 6-foot 1-inch, 225-pound Walker will now be the brakeman on the United States’ two top sleds. The United States team competes with two sleds in each event, designated as the No. 1 sled and the No. 2.

Walker was granted an extension until after the regular football season to try out for the Olympics. The Vikings did not make the playoffs, and he began practicing with the bobsledders soon after the season ended. He then impressed everyone with his abilities and attitude.

“He brought a desire to win,” Hickey said. “It was something he conveyed in meetings. The guys were very attentive to what he had to say.”

It is not unusual for an athlete to make both teams. In fact, it happened on the 1988 squad at Calgary with Brent Rushlaw as the driver.

The United States finished fourth in the four-man, and 16th in the two-man. This time, though, Hickey believes, “I really think we’re going to be medaling in both. This is probably our best chance in years to get a medal.”