CORTINA, Italy – American bobsled legend Elana Meyers Taylor has achieved the one accolade that had eluded her storied career: Olympic gold. At 41 years old, Meyers Taylor secured victory in the women’s monobob event at the Milan-Cortina Winter Games, establishing herself as the oldest individual Olympic champion in Winter Games history.
Her triumph came by the narrowest of margins, with a combined time of 3:57.93 over four heats edging out Germany’s Laura Nolte by just 0.04 seconds and fellow American Kaillie Armbruster Humphries by 0.12 seconds. This gold medal completes an extraordinary collection that includes three silver and two bronze medals accumulated across five Olympic appearances spanning 16 years.
“Finally the gold! It took long enough, right?” Meyers Taylor exclaimed to BBC Sport immediately following her victory. “It just goes to show you… just to keep persevering. My team and everybody behind me, it means so much to come away as Olympic champion.”
The historic achievement cements Meyers Taylor’s status as the most decorated female bobsleigh pilot in history and marks her as the first mother to win Olympic bobsleigh gold. With six total Olympic medals, she now ties speed skater Bonnie Blair for the most decorated American woman in Winter Olympics history and stands as the most decorated Black athlete in Winter Games history.
As her victory was confirmed, Meyers Taylor sank to her knees draped in the American flag, embracing her two young children, Nico and Noah, both of whom are deaf, with Nico also having Down syndrome. The emotional moment underscored her dual identity as elite athlete and dedicated mother.
“This medal is also for all those moms who weren’t necessarily able to live their dreams, but their kids are now their dreams,” Meyers Taylor reflected. “Those people kept me going and those people are the ones who reach out to me when things are hard and encourage me.”
The bobsled champion acknowledged the extensive support system that enabled her success, noting the sacrifices of her children, the dedication of multiple nannies over the years, and the unwavering support of her husband, former bobsledder Nic Taylor, with whom she travels the competition circuit for months at a time.
Fellow athletes celebrated Meyers Taylor’s victory as particularly meaningful. John Jackson, British bobsled bronze medalist from Sochi 2014, remarked: “If there was one person on the whole circuit who I think any athlete and coach wanted to see win gold it was Elana. She is not only a ferocious athlete but also a beautiful human being and a genuine person.”
The podium ceremony made additional history as Meyers Taylor shared it with 40-year-old Armbruster Humphries, marking the first time two women over 40 have stood on a Winter Olympics podium together. Both athletes, who have been on the podium together in five consecutive Olympics, celebrated with their children in a powerful display of motherhood and elite athleticism.
The two champions are credited with advocating for the International Olympic Committee to add monobob to the women’s schedule, expanding opportunities for female athletes in a sport that previously only featured the two-woman event.