LAKE PLACID, N.Y. -- Steven Holcomb slid to a halt in USA-1, the hometown crowd at Mount Van Hoevenberg roaring its approval as he thrust his helmet skyward in celebration. Another chapter written in what is becoming a remarkable bobsled career.
A week after winning the two-man gold at the world championships, Holcomb again was the class of the field in four-man, easily besting the top two German sleds.
"I'm a little overwhelmed," said Holcomb, of Park City, Utah. "It's just like it is in any other big race you win. It's going to take a little bit to sink in. You're so focused on trying to get to this moment that when you get there it's hard to really fathom that you're actually here."
Holcomb and his crew of Justin Olsen, Steve Langton and Curt Tomasevicz had a four-run total of 3 minutes, 36.83 seconds -- a full half-second in front of silver medalist Maximilian Arndt. Defending world champ Manuel Machata of Germany took the bronze.
This was the second gold in four-man at worlds for Holcomb, following his victory at Lake Placid in 2009, and his triumph last week in two-man was a first for the United States at worlds since two-man began in 1931.
Holcomb, who turns 32 in April, also joined German greats Andre Lange and Christoph Langen as the most recent pilots to complete a sweep at worlds. Langen won the two-man and four-man in 2001 and Lange in 2003 and 2008.
"It's been interesting," said Holcomb, who's been driving for a decade. "This has always been my goal since I started this sport. It's something you shoot for, but realistically most people are never going to achieve it. You just go out there and give it your best, do what you can, and hope everything comes together at the right time. It has in the last few years. We've really started to click."
Three years ago Holcomb broke a 50-year gold-medal drought for America in four-man competition at world championships and took home the bronze in two-man. Two years ago, he won the first four-man Olympic gold for his country since 1948.
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