Former Alouettes player to make Olympic debut

Former Montreal Alouettes player, Shaquille Murray-Lawrence will make his Olympic debut at the Milano Games. data-end=”315″>Shaquille Murray-Lawrence will make his Olympic debut at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Games, representing Canada in the two-man bobsleigh.

Originally from Scarborough, the 32-year-old athlete began his career in a summer sport that doesn't even exist in the Games: soccer.His power and speed as a running back in the Canadian Football League (CFL) quickly caught the attention of Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton in 2017.

For Murray-Lawrence, the transition from football to bobsleigh is not surprising. “You have to be fast and strong,” he explains. “The tenacity and resilience that football players possess makes it easier for us to transition to other sports. ” Inspired by Jesse Lumsden, a former CFL player who became an Olympic bobsledder, Murray-Lawrence set himself a clear goal after being named an alternate for the 2022 Games in Beijing: to become an undisputed leader in his discipline.

A quest for redemption and success

Despite controversies and accusations of systemic racism within the national organization, Murray-Lawrence persevered. “I had to be the undisputed best in my position for four years,” he says. Thanks to this determination, he earned his place on the Canadian two-man and four-man bobsleigh teams for 2026.

For him, every run is a mix of adrenaline and control. “Once you're done pushing, it's between God, the pilot, and Mother Nature,” explains Murray-Lawrence, aware of the dangers of the sport, where the 600 kg sled can reach speeds of up to 150 km/h. The former football player believes that his experience on the field has taught him the confidence and attitude necessary to compete on the Olympic stage.
His first event, the two-man bobsleigh, will take place on February 16. “I hope to bring home a medal; that would be the crowning achievement of my career,” he says. For Murray-Lawrence, succeeding in two such different sports—one summer and one winter—is proof of his determination and talent.

Regardless of the outcome, he is fulfilling a childhood dream: “I always knew I was destined to achieve great things in sport. My Plan B has always been my Plan A.”

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