Luge - Women's Singles - 2014 Winter Olympics

 Natalie Geisenberger

Gold Medal

Germany

Natalie Geisenberger (born 5 February 1988) is a German luger. She became Olympic Champion in the women's singles event at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and won a bronze medal in the women's singles event at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Geisenberger won the gold medal in the women's singles event at the 2008 FIL European Luge Championships in Cesana, Italy. She also accounts for seven medals at the FIL World Luge Championships including three golds (Women's singles: 2013; Mixed team: 2009,2013).

After four consecutive seasons finishing second in the overall classification of the Luge World Cup, she finally won her first title in the 2012–13 season, after completing an outstanding scoreboard with six wins and three second places.

Erin Hamlin

Bronze Medal

U.S.A.

Erin Mullady Hamlin (born 19 November 1986) is a three-time Olympian and the first female American luger to medal at any Winter Olympics, as well as the first American of either gender to medal in singles competition.  She took the singles bronze medal in Sochi's 2014 Winter Olympics, something the Associated Press called "a feat that will surely go down as perhaps the greatest moment in USA Luge history".

Having opened her luging career in 2005, her first major international victory was the gold medal in the women's singles event at the 2009 FIL World Luge Championships in Lake Placid, New York. This marked the first time in 99 races that a German woman was not the top finisher.

Hamlin finished 12th in the women's singles event at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. She was selected in December 2009 to compete at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. In the games, Hamlin placed 16th in the luge competition, coming in as the highest placed American in the event.

A native of Remsen, New York, Hamlin also makes her home in Lake Placid. She is the daughter of Eileen and Ronald Hamlin who both reside in Remsen, NY.

In 2009, Hamlin became a spokesperson for the National Headache Foundation in the wake of her suffering migraine headaches.