Elana Meyers Taylor’s Journey to Olympic Glory
In the lead-up to Christmas, Elana Meyers Taylor found herself grappling with doubts about her bobsledding career. Stationed in Norway for a crucial World Cup weekend, the U.S. bobsled athlete faced overwhelming challenges: physical pain, concerns about her ability to care for her two deaf children, and disappointing racing results. Feeling at her wit’s end, she sent a text to her husband expressing her frustration and a sense of defeat. In a moment of vulnerability, she confided,
“I’m done. This is just impossible. It’s never going to work.”
Turning Point and Triumph
However, a shift in her fortunes was right around the corner. Just over two months after that discouraging message—prompted by her husband, Nic Taylor, a former bobsledder who flew to Norway to encourage her—Meyers Taylor triumphed at the Milan Cortina Winter Games, clinching a gold medal in the women’s monobob event. Back on the ice just days later, she was seen preparing for the two-woman race alongside teammate Jadin O’Brien, who remarked on the excitement of the victory.
At the age of 41, Meyers Taylor made history as the oldest woman to earn an individual gold medal in Winter Olympics history, adding to her legacy as she tied Bonnie Blair for the most Olympic medals by an American woman in Winter Games history. Furthermore, her achievements solidified her status as the leading Black woman in Olympic Winter sport history, extending her record of medals in the event.
Reflections on the Journey
“I don’t think I’ll process all this for a long time,”
Meyers Taylor reflected after her victory. She acknowledged the emotional rollercoaster she faced over the past several years, where moments of despair frequently clouded her journey. Fortune favored her as her husband’s support network stepped in—Nic decided to forgo a flight, opting to coach a player for the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs, whose inquiry into Meyers Taylor’s struggles resulted in a ticket to Norway.
The excitement of victory was palpable, especially for O’Brien, who expressed her delight:
“As soon as I saw that E had won, I just started screaming and jumping. It was genuinely the coolest sports moment I’ve ever experienced.”
Having previously won multiple NCAA indoor championships in pentathlon, O’Brien was elated to be part of such a defining moment in sports.
Teaching and Legacy
Leading up to her milestone win, Meyers Taylor took time to teach her two sons basic sign language for terms like “gold medal” and “Olympic champion”, although she never anticipated they would be so relevant so soon. After all, she had experienced a disappointing season, ranking 10th in the World Cup monobob standings, finishing far behind at the Cortina Olympic track not even long before her victory. Her Olympic journey had been marked by a mix of triumphs and near-misses; she painfully lost out on medals in both the 2014 and 2018 games by mere fractions of a second.
This time, however, she sealed her win with a mere 0.04-second lead over her closest competitor, German bobsledder Laura Nolte, echoing years of dedication and resilience.
“That’s a moment I’ve been working for every four years,”
Meyers Taylor said, emphasizing how much it meant to finally stand on that start line and thrive. As discussions of retirement loom on the horizon—coupled with hopes to expand their family—she acutely feels the weight of her accomplishments and the attention that comes with being a mother on the move.
Despite the turmoil she has faced, Elana Meyers Taylor’s journey to Olympic glory and her resolve not to give up through tough seasons serve as an inspiration to many in sports and beyond, proving that perseverance can indeed lead to incredible victories.
