Germany's Friedrich wins bobsled gold, his 100th at the World Cup and world championship levels

IGLS, Austria (AP) — Francesco Friedrich of Germany won another IBSF four-man bobsled race on Sunday, the 100th victory of his career in either World Cup or world championship competitions.

He now has driven to 35 victories in World Cup four-man races, along with 51 wins in World Cup two-man events, eight two-man world championships and six four-man world championships.

Not included in that total: four golds — two in two-man, two in four-man — in Olympic competition.

Friedrich's dominance is unmatched in bobsled history. He has medaled in 31 of his last 32 World Cup four-man races and 60 of his last 62 World Cup two-man races; he took silver in two-man at Igls on Saturday.

In his World Cup career, Friedrich has medaled in 142 of 197 races.

Brad Hall of Britain drove to the silver in the four-man race Sunday, and Johannes Lochner of Germany was third. Frank del Duca drove to a 10th-place finish for the U.S.

In the two-woman race later Sunday, Germany swept the medals with Laura Nolte and Deborah Levi winning, Kim Kalicki and Leonie Fiebig taking second and Lisa Buckwitz and Neele Schuten finishing third.

The top U.S. sled was driven by Elana Meyers Taylor and pushed by Jasmine Jones, finishing fourth.

At Winterberg, Germany, Sunday was a double-gold day for Jonas Mueller of Austria, who won a World Cup men's singles race and then was part of his nation's winning entry in the team relay.

Mueller held off Max Langenhan of Germany for the men's singles win, with Nico Gleirscher of Austria placing third. Jonny Gustafson was the top American finisher, placing 20th.

In the team relay, Austria's team of Mueller, women's singles slider Madeleine Egle, the men’s doubles team of Juri Gatt and Riccardo Schoepf and the women’s doubles team of Selina Egle and Lara Kipp took first. Germany was second and Italy was third.

The U.S. was fourth in the team relay, despite Emily Sweeney getting the fastest split among all women's singles racers in the field. It capped a strong weekend for Sweeney, who won a bronze in the singles race Saturday.

Bobsled: World Cup women's monobob Friday at St. Moritz, Switzerland.

Luge: World Cup women’s doubles, men’s doubles and women’s singles Saturday at Oberhof, Germany.

Skeleton: World Cup season finales for men’s, women’s and mixed team Feb. 7 at Lillehammer, Norway.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Francesco Friedrich, Matthias Sommer, Alexander Schueller and Felix Straub, of Germany, start their first run in the 4-man bobsleigh at the Bobsleigh World Cup in Innsbruck, Austria, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Francesco Friedrich, Matthias Sommer, Alexander Schueller and Felix Straub, of Germany, pose after their second run in the 4-man bobsleigh at the Bobsleigh World Cup in Innsbruck, Austria, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Francesco Friedrich, Matthias Sommer, Alexander Schueller and Felix Straub, of Germany, pose after winning the 4-man bobsleigh at the Bobsleigh World Cup in Innsbruck, Austria, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Francesco Friedrich, Matthias Sommer, Alexander Schueller and Felix Straub, of Germany, finish their second run in the 4-man bobsleigh at the Bobsleigh World Cup in Innsbruck, Austria, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Richard “Dick” Codey, a former acting governor of New Jersey and the longest serving legislator in the state's history, died Sunday. He was 79.

Codey’s wife, Mary Jo Codey, confirmed her husband’s death to The Associated Press.

“Gov. Richard J. Codey passed away peacefully this morning at home, surrounded by family, after a brief illness,” Codey's family wrote in a Facebook post on Codey's official page.

"Our family has lost a beloved husband, father and grandfather -- and New Jersey lost a remarkable public servant who touched the lives of all who knew him," the family said.

Known for his feisty, regular-guy persona, Codey was a staunch advocate of mental health awareness and care issues. The Democrat also championed legislation to ban smoking from indoor areas and sought more money for stem cell research.

Codey, the son of a northern New Jersey funeral home owner, entered the state Assembly in 1974 and served there until he was elected to the state Senate in 1982. He served as Senate president from 2002 to 2010.

Codey first served as acting governor for a brief time in 2002, after Christine Todd Whitman’s resignation to join President George W. Bush’s administration. He held the post again for 14 months after Gov. Jim McGreevey resigned in 2004.

At that time, New Jersey law mandated that the Senate president assume the governor’s role if a vacancy occurred, and that person would serve until the next election.

Codey routinely drew strong praise from residents in polls, and he gave serious consideration to seeking the Democratic nomination for governor in 2005. But he ultimately chose not to run when party leaders opted to back wealthy Wall Street executive Jon Corzine, who went on to win the office.

Codey would again become acting governor after Corzine was incapacitated in April 2007 due to serious injuries he suffered in a car accident. He held the post for nearly a month before Corzine resumed his duties.

After leaving the governor’s office, Codey returned to the Senate and also published a memoir that detailed his decades of public service, along with stories about his personal and family life.

“He lived his life with humility, compassion and a deep sense of responsibility to others,” his family wrote. “He made friends as easily with Presidents as he did with strangers in all-night diners.”

Codey and his wife often spoke candidly about her past struggles with postpartum depression, and that led to controversy in early 2005, when a talk radio host jokingly criticized Mary Jo and her mental health on the air.

Codey, who was at the radio station for something else, confronted the host and said he told him that he wished he could “take him outside.” But the host claimed Codey actually threatened to “take him out,” which Codey denied.

His wife told The Associated Press that Codey was willing to support her speaking out about postpartum depression, even if it cost him elected office.

“He was a really, really good guy,” Mary Jo Codey said. “He said, ‘If you want to do it, I don’t care if I get elected again.’”

Jack Brook contributed reporting from New Orleans.

FILE - New Jersey State Sen. and former Democratic Gov. Richard Codey is seen before New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy delivers his State of the State address to a joint session of the Legislature at the statehouse, in Trenton, N.J., Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)