Skeleton is the Winter Olympic sport in which athletes slide head-first on a sled.
A skeleton competitor lies face down on a narrow sled, with the head pointing downhill and the chin just above the track. Unlike bobsleigh, which normally carries a crew, skeleton is an individual time trial. Riders steer by making tiny shifts with their shoulders, knees and body weight, while their boots help them slow or stop after crossing the finish line.
The sport developed around St. Moritz, Switzerland, and is closely connected with the historic Cresta Run. Skeleton appeared at the 1928 and 1948 Winter Olympics, both held in St. Moritz, but then disappeared from the program for more than five decades. It returned permanently at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games, when women's competition was also introduced.
The main mix-up is with luge: luge athletes also race alone, but they lie on their backs and travel feet-first. Bobsleigh athletes ride inside a larger enclosed sled, usually with teammates.