News Nearby: Douglasville Native Ready to Repeat as Olympic Medalist

Undaunted by a practice-run crash that severely damaged her bobsled, Douglasville native Elana Meyers is poised to repeat as an Olympic medalist.

Meyers, who competes in the two-person bobsled event with teammate Lauryn Williams, begins her quest Tuesday in the Sochi Games.

Race sessions are 10:15 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, and 11:15 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19. Both events are being live-streamed by NBC, and are scheduled in the primetime TV lineup each night.

Meyers won the bronze medal in the event in the 2010 Games in Vancouver.

She is one of two Georgian competing in the Sochi Games. Kyle Carr of Peachtree City is a short-track speedskater.

Meyers and Williams are considered medal contenders, and they showed it after the crash. On Sunday, the final day of training before the event starts, the pair turned in the fastest time in the first practice run, and the fifth-fastest time in the second run.

It was a day after Meyers crashed the bobsled past the finish line, sending parts flying. After late-night repairs, the sled was ready to go for Sunday’s practice runs.

"It was a head-on collision,” Meyers told the AP. “It was one of the hardest hits I've ever taken in a bobsled. Luckily, we have some amazing mechanics. They were able to get my sled ready to go."

“I'm very confident that we'll be ready to roll for race day,” Meyers told USA Today.

Meyers has been updating fans on social media during the Games.

She posted the following on Facebook on Feb. 15:

This Olympics has been the most difficult athletic experiences of my life. I've been beaten up physically, mentally, and emotionally. I don't say that for sympathy- I say it because I know that everything is worth it for the less than 4 minutes I will race on ice. I love sliding so much and I'm so excited to represent my country on the world's biggest stage! Any adversity I face is well worth it for those 4 runs! Can't wait until Tuesday!

You also can follow Meyers on Twitter or her website.