(NEXSTAR) - Sydney Milani, an Iowa track star now living in Alabama, is training to compete for a spot on Team USA Bobsled, aiming to represent the United States at the Olympics in Italy. Milani transitioned from track and field to bobsled after being recruited right out of college, finding that her speed from track translated well to the new sport. Despite the challenges of adapting to bobsled, including overcoming the fear factor and gaining weight to meet competition requirements, Milani has embraced the thrill and camaraderie of the sport. "All of these girls are my friends, but I've told them straight up, like, you're my friend, but once we get on the ice, like, I'm gonna tear you up," Milani said. Milani's journey from track and field to bobsled began after the 2022 Beijing Olympics, when she was recruited to join the team. She had initially pursued a career in track and field, competing at Iowa State and then transferring to Alabama, where she excelled in the SEC. Despite the transition being difficult, Milani found that her track background helped her adapt to bobsled, particularly in terms of speed. However, she faced challenges such as gaining weight to meet the sport's requirements, having put on about 25 pounds since starting her training. Milani describes the experience of being in the sled as thrilling yet intimidating, with the G-forces and noise adding to the fear factor. She emphasizes the importance of communication and respect among teammates, especially in her role as a brakeman, which involves both physical and mental aspects. The camaraderie among Team USA athletes is strong, with fellow competitors like Lolo Jones cheering each other on despite the competitive nature of the sport. Milani thrives on this supportive environment, balancing friendship with fierce competition. Representing Iowa and hoping to represent Team USA in Italy, Milani expresses a deep love for her country and a strong desire to compete at the Olympics, viewing it as the ultimate achievement in her athletic career. All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by Nexstar. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by Nexstar staff before being published