Steve Langton, BA’06, (left) and his teammate Steven Holcomb celebrated last month after they became the first U.S. two-man bobsled team to win at the World Championships. Photo by Pat Hendrick.

Northeastern alumnus Steve Langton described his first bobsled race in 2007 on a track in Lake Placid, N.Y., like many other first-timers might: fast, jerky and uncomfortable. Five years later, Langton and his U.S. teammates raced down that same track and into the history books.

Last month, Langton, BA’06, and teammate Steven Holcomb claimed the country’s first two-man bobsled World Championship. The duo followed the prize-winning performance by being half of the team that won the four-man bobsled race.

“What we’ve accomplished as a team over the last two weeks is pretty incredible,” Langton said.

His athletic journey began at Northeastern, where the former jumper and sprinter captained the men’s track and field team.

Track and field head coach Sherman Hart coached Langton for five seasons. He marveled at the standout athlete’s rare combination of strength, speed, agility and grace, and called him a humble team leader who relished the opportunities to learn from his coaches.

Needless to say, Hart wasn’t surprised by Langton’s World Championship wins. As he put it, “He’s accomplished so much.”

After graduating from Northeastern, Langton kept in top physical shape and continued to search for an athletic outlet. “Being an athlete my whole life, I knew I had a lot more to give,” he said.

After being inspired by watching the 2006 Olympic Games, Langton attended a U.S. bobsled recruitment camp in Lake Placid the following year. He picked up the sport quickly, earning a spot on the World Cup circuit in his first season as a competitive bobsled racer. He was named the 2008 U.S. Rookie of the Year and emerged as a top push athlete in the sport.

Langton competed in the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver. His latest victories, he said, will serve as extra motivation for upcoming events, including the 2014 Games. “This has been an ideal season,” he said. “It’s very encouraging, and I think it’s going to motivate us to continue performing at a high level.”