Quick Facts
Biography
Jill Bakken (born January 25, 1977, in Portland, Oregon) is an American Olympic bobsledder who has competed since 1994. As driver, she and partner Vonetta Flowers won the gold medal in Bobsleigh at the 2002 Winter Olympics for the U.S. Bakken's best Bobsleigh World Cup season finish was second in the two-woman event in 1999–2000. Bakken was a Specialist in the Utah Army National Guard and sponsored by the Army World Class Athlete Program at the time she won gold.
Bakken is a graduate of Lake Washington High Schooland an alumnus of Eastern Washington University, transferring there in 2005. She has also attended the University of Utah and Oregon State University, where she played soccer.
Bakken is now a driving coach for the Canadian bobsleigh team and is married to Florian Linder who is also a coach for the Canadian bobsled team.