Canadian Olympian Cynthia Appiah Competes on ‘Jeopardy!’

Cynthia Appiah, an Olympian bobsledder from Canada, has achieved a personal milestone by appearing on the iconic quiz show “Jeopardy!” After more than six years of applications, Appiah’s dream will be realized with her episode airing on October 28, 2025.

Appiah shared her excitement during a phone interview from Whistler, British Columbia, where she is currently preparing for the upcoming bobsled season. “It’s been, honestly, the dream of a lifetime,” she stated, acknowledging the apparent contradiction of her enthusiasm given her Olympic training commitments.

Growing up in Toronto, Appiah often gathered with her family to watch “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy!” each weeknight. “That one hour was our time to be a family together,” she reflected. Her passion for the show only intensified as she attempted to secure a spot on it.

In May, she received notification that she had advanced past the quiz stage of the application process and would soon participate in an interview. This led to a trip to Los Angeles in September, where she recorded her episode. Her sisters, Martha and Evelyn, joined her from Toronto to share in the experience.

“Although I was excited to go down, I still had my Olympian brain on,” Appiah noted. She was determined to return to Calgary promptly to resume her training. Reflecting on the experience, she described it as “a lot of fun,” despite some regrets about questions she answered incorrectly.

Appiah faced nerves as she entered the studio, where she interacted with fellow contestants and acclimated to the environment before the taping commenced. “There were quite a number of moments where I was like, ‘Oh, I didn’t get that one right,’” she said, likening the competition to her bobsled training. “Just like in bobsled, you don’t get the corner right, you move on to the next corner,” she explained.

One memorable moment came when she met “Jeopardy!” host Ken Jennings. “I’m sitting in the second row, and I’m like, ‘Oh my god. I’m sitting in front of Ken Jennings, the greatest of all time,’” she recalled, highlighting Jennings’ friendly demeanor during their interactions. He even signed her cue card with a message wishing her luck for the 2026 Olympics in Italy.

Appiah’s participation in the show was partly motivated by the financial needs associated with her Olympic training. Despite her enthusiasm, she candidly admitted, “Just a bit of a spoiler alert, I did not do as well as I would have liked.” She has since started a GoFundMe campaign to help cover her expenses for the season.

Having competed in the 2022 Beijing Olympics, where she finished eighth in both the monobob and two-woman bobsled events, Appiah is familiar with the challenges of Olympic competition. In recent seasons, she has achieved notable successes, including a third-place finish in the overall monobob standings in 2023.

As she prepares for the upcoming Olympic season, Appiah feels optimistic about her performance. “Whistler has really had my number for quite some time, and just after the first week of sliding, the coaches have been really positive and said, ‘You’re driving very, very well,’” she stated.

With her sights set on the Olympics, Appiah expressed her eagerness and determination to secure a medal, stating, “I’ve got all the tools readily available to make sure that I win a medal, but I’m going to really need the backing of all the Canadians out there to support me.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on October 20, 2025.