Elana Myers Taylor Celebrates Olympic Gold
Elana Myers Taylor made her victory memorable by leaping from a sleigh while waving an American flag and sharing the news with her two deaf sons using sign language.
The accomplished bobsledder, age 41, clinched her first Olympic gold medal in the women’s monobob event during the Milan-Cortina Games on February 16. Competing in her fifth Winter Olympics, she was initially trailing Germany’s Laura Nolte after three runs but delivered an impressive final heat performance to win by a mere 0.04 seconds.
“This is what happened. It’s going to take a while for this to sink in,” Myers-Taylor expressed, her excitement palpable. “I still can’t believe it. I can’t even explain in words what this means.”
This achievement places her alongside speed skating icon Bonnie Blair, as both are now the most decorated American women in Winter Olympic history. Each athlete boasts six medals. Myers-Taylor previously secured three silver and two bronze medals but had never reached the gold podium until now.
Her journey to victory was nothing short of dramatic. Nolte went into the final run with a 0.15 second lead. However, Myers-Taylor countered with a stellar performance that allowed her to take the lead and hold on to it.
Myers-Taylor’s children, Nico, 5, and Noah, 3, often join her in competitions. Nico has Down syndrome, and both boys are deaf, making her triumph all the more special.
Teammate Kylie Humphries, who secured a bronze at age 40, dismissed any doubts about their ability to compete at their age. “There are a lot of people who want to ignore you as soon as you turn 40,” Humphries remarked. “I hear voices saying, ‘It’s all downhill from there.’ I think both Elana and I are proof that’s not true.”
Looking ahead, Myers-Taylor reflected on the reality that comes after the celebrations. “At the end of the day, I ended up doing school pickup and drop-off in the middle of Texas in six days,” she shared. “My sons are my driving force. They keep me going. So it doesn’t mean anything because I’m still just a mom to them.”
