Kaillie Humphries Armbruster won Olympic gold when she was in her 20s. She won another Olympic gold in her 30s.
And now 40, she seems ready to chase even more gold.
Humphries Armbruster — who missed some of this Olympic cycle while becoming a mother for the first time — heds into next month's Milan Cortina Games with a slew of momentum. She won the women's monobob World Cup season finale at Altenberg, Germany, on Saturday, her third victory since December when adding in a pair of two-woman race wins.
“The goal was always to build each and every race throughout this year up until the Olympics, and I think we’ve been pretty successful at that,” Humphries Armbruster said. “So, to be able to win at monobob again is a really good feeling. We still have a lot of work to do, but overall, it continues to be steps in the right direction, which is great.”
At 40 years and 4 months, Humphries Armbruster is now the oldest woman to win a World Cup monobob race — breaking the record set last season by fellow U.S. slider Elana Meyers Taylor, who got a pair of wins at 40 years and 3 months.
Humphries Armbruster, Meyers Taylor and reigning world monobob champion Kaysha Love will all be nominated to the U.S. Olympic team on Monday as the pilots for the women's bobsled squad that will compete at Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
“Age is just a number,” Humphries Armbruster said. “It does not define us or limit us in anything.”
Humphries Armbruster — the 2022 Olympic monobob champion — got her first World Cup monobob victory since February 2023, with Bree Walker of Australia second and Laura Nolte of Germany third.
Nolte took the season-long monobob title, with Walker second and Lisa Buckwitz of Germany third.
In two-man, Johannes Lochner of Germany capped his third season-long title in that discipline in the last four years — winning for the sixth time in seven races this season.
It was another German sweep: Adam Ammour drove to second and Francesco Friedrich finished third. Friedrich finished the two-man season in second place, Ammour third.
U.S. driver Frank Del Duca was the top American finisher Saturday, placing sixth.
Merle Fraebel of Germany won a World Cup women's luge singles race Saturday at Oberhof, Germany, with Lisa Schulte of Austria second and Natalie Maag of Switzerland third.
Ashley Farquharson was ninth for the U.S., and Summer Britcher was 13th.
Jonas Mueller of Austria won the men's singles race, with Felix Loch of Germany second in 1:24.640 and teammate Max Langenhan third in 1:24.824. For the U.S., Olympic team picks Jonny Gustafson and Matt Greiner were 19th and 20th, respectively.
Luge: World Cup men’s doubles, women’s doubles and team relay Sunday at Oberhof.
Bobsled: World Cup two-woman, four-man races Sunday at Altenberg.
Skeleton: World Cup season complete, Olympic races at Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, from Feb. 12-15.
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
Kaillie Armbruster Humphries of the U.S. descends the track during the monobob, women, 1st run competition of the Bobsleigh World Cup, in Altenberg, Germany, Saturday Jan. 17, 2026. (Robert Michael/dpa via AP)
Winner Kaillie Armbruster Humphries of the U.S. celebrates her victory in the monobob, women, 2nd run, competition of the Bobsleigh World Cup, in Altenberg, Germany, Saturday Jan. 17, 2026. (Robert Michael/dpa via AP)
Winner Kaillie Armbruster Humphries of the U.S. celebrates her victory in the monobob, women, 2nd run, competition of the Bobsleigh World Cup, in Altenberg, Germany, Saturday Jan. 17, 2026. (Robert Michael/dpa via AP)
SEATTLE (AP) — Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor and Doug Baldwin hyped up the famed “12th Man” crowd in Seattle, providing a throwback to the Seahawks' fearsome “Legion of Boom” teams from the 2010s.
Then, in their first playoff game in front of home fans in nearly a decade, the Seahawks found a new level of dominance.
Rashid Shaheed returned the returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, Kenneth Walker III rushed for three scores and Seattle forced three turnovers in a never-in-doubt 41-6 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday night that sent the top-seeded Seahawks to the NFC championship game.
“One of our most complete games, for sure,” defensive lineman Leonard Williams said. “(Shaheed) starting the game off like that set the tone.”
Sam Darnold threw a touchdown pass and got his first career playoff win in his first season with the Seahawks (15-3), who will host either the Chicago Bears or the Los Angeles Rams next Sunday with a trip to the Super Bowl at stake.
The Seahawks led 7-0 13 seconds into the game thanks to Shaheed, who fielded the opening kick and took it 95 yards to the end zone. It was the fourth kickoff return for a touchdown to open a playoff game since 2000 and the longest postseason kick return in franchise history.
“I was so hyped,” defensive lineman Byron Murphy II said. “I wasn’t expecting that, but when he did it, I knew the game was over then. I already knew.”
Darnold, who had been listed as questionable because of an oblique injury, guided the Seahawks on two more scoring drives before San Francisco got on the board with the first of its two field goals. As he has all season, Darnold impressed his teammates with his toughness.
“He told us he was going to do whatever it takes to get back and play for us,” offensive lineman Grey Zabel said. “That was a gutsy performance by him, not feeling his best. He continues to just be a leader in the huddle, on the field, on the sidelines.”
After he flopped in his playoff debut last season with the Minnesota Vikings by taking nine sacks in a 27-9 loss to the Rams, Darnold completed 12 of 17 passes for 124 yards and connected with Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a touchdown in the star receiver’s playoff debut.
Seattle hadn't played in the postseason since the 2020 season, when it lost at home to the Rams with no fans in the stands because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 49ers (13-6) were never competitive in the second-most lopsided playoff loss in franchise history. San Francisco lost 49-3 to the New York Giants in the divisional round in the 1986 season.
The Niners were missing three injured All-Pros: tight end George Kittle, linebacker Fred Warner and defensive end Nick Bosa. Star left tackle Trent Williams, who played through a hamstring injury, was proud of his team for getting as far in the playoffs as it did.
“When you’re playing with guys you’re signing off the practice squad,” Williams said, “guys (you are) taking off the street — you got to temper expectations a bit.”
Brock Purdy completed 15 of 27 passes for 140 yards with an interception and a lost fumble against the Seahawks’ “Dark Side” defense. Seattle also recovered a fumble by tight end Jake Tonges.
“Everything’s working for us, to be honest,” safety Nick Emmanwori said. “Everything’s working. We fly to the ball, we’ve got (a) great scheme, great coaches, great players. I (think) it’s hard for teams to find a way to score on us or beat us straight up.”
Walker’s three rushing touchdowns tied him with Shaun Alexander for the most in a playoff game in franchise history. Two of the scores came after halftime, and he celebrated one by chucking the ball into the crowd.
“I’d do it more,” Walker said, “but I’d get fined for it.”
Walker finished with 116 yards rushing, his most since his rookie year in 2022, and he picked up the slack after Zach Charbonnet was injured during the game. The Seahawks ran for 175 yards, their third most this season.
“You can see it, how they’re breathing, they’re tired, they’re slow to get up,” Walker said. “You can see it’s demoralizing to them.”
The Seahawks’ front seven made life difficult for Purdy, chasing him across the field while sacking him twice. With the Niners thin at receiver, Purdy scrambled five times for 37 yards and frequently threw on the run.
“It’s no secret in terms of their style of play,” Purdy said. “Trying to make a quarterback check it down and play deep to short. Then within that, have a good pass rush. That’s a good defense, man.”
49ers: RB Christian McCaffrey (stinger) was injured in the second quarter and returned in the third quarter before exiting the game for good. Tonges injured a foot and did not return.
Seahawks: Charbonnet injured a knee in the second quarter and did not return. LT Charles Cross injured a foot in the third quarter and did not return.
49ers: Heal and reload for next season.
Seahawks: Are one victory away from the fourth Super Bowl appearance in franchise history and first in 11 years.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Leonard Williams (99) sacks San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) during the second half of an NFL football divisional playoff game Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football divisional playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football divisional playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (22) runs a kickoff return in for a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football divisional playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald watches from the sideline during the first half of an NFL football divisional playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Leonard Williams (99) sacks San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) during the second half of an NFL football divisional playoff game Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold reacts during the second half of an NFL football divisional playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
