AJ Rosen

Adam Joseph Rosen, known simply by his initials “A. J.”, was Britain’s most successful luger despite being born in New York. He became interested in the sport after watching it at the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Games at the age of nine. He started training with the US Luge Association’s (USLA) junior squad in 1998 but four years later was effectively dropped when he was not promoted from the junior to senior roster of the USLA. Because he had an American father and English mother, it was suggested he should apply to join the British luge team. He did and was accepted by them and started competing as a senior with the GB squad in the 2003/04 season.

Rosen competed in the first of three Olympics in 2006 and finished a creditable 16th, two places higher than his best ever finish in the World Cup the previous year. His sixth-place finish at Calgary in the 2008/09 World Cup was the best ever finish by a British luger. It was achieved on the same track the movie “Cool Runnings” was based on.

Rosen finished 16th again at the Vancouver Winter Games in 2010 but failed to qualify for Sochi in 2014. He returned for the 2018 PyeongChang Games but could only finish 22nd and “A. J.” announced his retirement shortly afterwards.

Before taking up Luge, Rosen, described as a music entrepreneur, played football for New Rochelle High School, from which he graduated in 2002. Also keen on flying, he flew solo in a Cessna 172 at the age of 16 and after High School was accepted for a place at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University at Daytona Beach, Florida, but he turned it down and chose to train for the 2006 Winter Olympics instead. Rosen’s brother Brett became a member of the Great Britain baseball team in 2011.