Bethany Hart

Bobsledding and Hammer throw

The missing link between bobsledding and the hammer throw: Bethany Hart, who trains year round for both sports and, if she accomplishes her goal in 2008, will be only the 10th athlete in U.S. history to compete in both summer and winter sports. 

The good news for Bethany is that since hammer throw and bobsledding are both speed- and power-based sports, they require a similar training regimen.  In two-person bobsledding, Bethany’ job as the brake person is to push hard and fast to build speed at the race’s start.  The hammer throw is basically a shot put – a 4-kilo steel ball attached to a wire – and also demands lightening speed and strength.  Says Bethany, “In the hammer throw, you have to be patient and relaxed yet powerful and explosive – a hard balance to find.”

A shot put competitor in high school, Bethany didn’t pick up the hammer throw until college, where she soon became one of the best, going undefeated in the 2000 collegiate season. Upon college graduation in 2001, Bethany entered a program to become a certified athletic trainer at the elite level, where her boss introduced her to bobsledding – and, as they say, the rest is history.

While training for both hammer throw and bobsled in 2005, Bethany followed some maternal advice (her mother is a Shaklee Distributor) and started using Shaklee Performance® Maximum Endurance Sports Drink and Physique® Workout Maximizer Supplement.  She was amazed at the results. “I was training harder than I had trained since college and I didn’t expect I would recover as well as I did,” says Bethany. “Shaklee Physique® and Performance® allowed me to maintain the high volume of training I needed.”

2005 was a pivotal year for Bethany; she became the 2nd-ranked hammer thrower in the United States and was ranked 19th in the world.  She won a silver medal at the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in June and also competed at the IAAF World Championships in Helsinki, Finland in August (at which the U.S. Track & Field Team won a record-setting 14 gold medals).  Then, just six months later, Bethany qualified for the Torino Games bobsled team.

Bethany never shrinks from training:  she now dedicates two to four hours daily to throwing, lifting and sprinting.  “There’s just something I love about training and challenging my body,” she says Bethany. “I’ve far surpassed any expectations I’ve ever had for myself, so I just keep setting new goals as I go in order to reach my full athletic potential.”

Today Bethany also supplements her diet with Shaklee Joint Health Complex, OsteoMatrix™, Basics® with Iron, CarotoMax® and FlavoMaxTM. “I noticed a big difference when I began taking the Shaklee multivitamin in combination with Physique®,” says Bethany. “I had more energy – when you’re training that hard, you can feel tired everyday.” In addition to helping post-workout recovery, Bethany believes Shaklee supplements are essential for athletes and anyone who wants to live a healthy lifestyle. Staying well during the bobsled season is also a priority. “I take NutriFeronTM because we’re in the cold so often,” remarks Bethany. “It’s crucial I do all I can to build a strong immune system.”

High bioavailability for maximum results and natural ingredients are what Bethany appreciates about Shaklee products. “Shaklee doesn’t use anything artificial and I’m secure in knowing I won’t test positive for anything during competition,” she says.

If all goes well in 2008 in Beijing, there’s no telling what Bethany will accomplish next. She is considering competing for the 2010 bobsled team for the Vancouver Games. Bethany loves the personal challenge of improving her athletic ability as well the opportunity to compete internationally against the best. “As long as I’m still accomplishing my goals and throwing further and pushing faster, I see no reason to stop.”

Bobsled

• 2005-2006:
  • Placed 4th at Calgary World Cup Bobsled (with pilot 2002 Salt Lake City Games Gold Medalist Jill Bakken)
                           
    Placed 8th at Igls (Austria) World Cup (with pilot Jill Bakken)
  • Qualified for U.S. Bobsled Team in Torino Games (alternate brakeman for silver-medal-winning team)
• 2004-2005:
  • Placed 5th at Lake Placid World Cup (with pilot 2002 Salt Lake City Games Silver Medalist Jill Bakken)
                            
    Qualified as alternate for 2005 Calgary World Championships
• 2001-2002:
  • Placed 2nd at Konigssee (Germany) World Cup #2 (with pilot
    Jean Racine)
  • Placed 7th at Calgary World Cup #2 (with pilot Bonnie
    Warner)
  • Placed 3rd at Olympic Trials (with pilot Bonnie Warner)

Track and Field

• 2006: 2nd at Penn Relays
• 2006: Placed 9th at Nike Prefontaine Classic (hammer throw)
• 2005: Ranked 2nd in U.S. hammer throw by Track & Field News
• 2005: 19th Overall World Rank
• 2005: USA Outdoor Championships silver medalist
• 2005: National Team T & F  World Championships, Helsinki
• 2005: Placed 1st at Penn Relays
• 2005: Placed 1st at 2005 Huesden, Belgium Grand Prix (hammer throw)
• 2004: Ranked 8th at U.S. Olympic Trials (hammer throw)
• 2000: Ranked 5th at U.S. Olympic Trials (hammer throw)
• Two-time NCAA All-American (1999, 2000)
• Two-time BIG EAST Outdoor HT champion (1999, 2000).
• One of 51 athletes nominated for 2000 NCAA Women of the Year
• 2000 NCAA Women of the Year State winner for Connecticut
• Set 11 meet/facility/school championship records while at University of Connecticut (1997-2001)

2007 Schedule
Outdoor Track and Field Competition Schedule

• June10: Prefontaine Classic, Eugene, OR
• June 20-24: US Championships, Indianapolis, IN (Top 3 qualify for National Team)
• July-August: European circuit (TBA)
• August 24 - September 2: World Championships, Osaka, Japan (National Team qualifiers only)