Former Football, Now Bobsled, Star Coakwell Receives Monthly Sask Sport Salute

Moose Jaw product Ben Coakwell has been named the December recipient of the Sask Sport Athlete-of-the-Month award.

A former running back with the Saskatoon Hilltops and U of S Huskies, Coakwell is making a name for himself internationally as a brakeman with Canada’s four-man bobsleigh team. In December, Coakwell tied a Canadian record with his 17th World Cup medal when his team finished second on December 19th at an event in Germany. A week earlier, Coakwell was the brakeman as the Canadian four-man bobsleigh team captured bronze at an event in Germany. Coakwell is tied with Lascelles Brown for most World Cup medals won by a Canadian four-man bobsleigh brakeman. Following is the news release from Sask Sport…..

Bobsled brakeman Ben Coakwell earns

December Athlete of the Month

(SASKATOON) Jan. 10, 2022 — Moose Jaw’s Ben Coakwell tied a Canadian record with 17 medals as a Canadian four-man bobsleigh brakeman after a silver medal on the World Cup circuit to be awarded the December Athlete of the Month.

The second-place finish was captured on Dec. 19 during a BMW IBSF World Cup event in Altenberg, Germany in a time of 1:49.16 (Run 1 – 54.50; Run 2 – 54.66). It was the second medal of the month for Coakwell as he and his four-man team also earned a bronze in an IBSF World Cup event in Winterberg, Germany in a time of 1:48.09 (Run 1 – 53.89; Run 2 – 54.20) on Dec. 11.

Coakwell is now tied with Lascelles Brown with 17 World Cup medals by a Canadian four-man brakeman.

Without a Provincial Sport Organization in Saskatchewan, Coakwell was nominated by the Canadian Sport Centre Saskatchewan.

Other Nominee:

Marsha Hudey, White City, Speed Skating – Nominated by Saskatchewan Amateur Speed Skating Association