Elana Meyers Taylor Wins Gold at Milan‑Cortina, Becomes Oldest Winter Champion
Updated (2 articles)
Gold Medal Victory and Historic Age Record On 17 February 2026, 41‑year‑old Elana Meyers Taylor captured Olympic gold in the women’s bobsleigh event at the Milan‑Cortina Games, posting a combined time of 3:57.93 and edging Germany’s Laura Nolte by 0.04 seconds [1][2]. The win makes her the oldest individual Winter Olympic champion, surpassing 40‑year‑old Benjamin Karl, and ties speed skater Bonnie Blair for the most Winter medals by an American woman with six [1][2]. Her victory adds a gold to a tally that already includes three silvers and two bronzes earned across five Games.
Family Motivation and Motherhood Spotlight After crossing the finish line, Meyers Taylor knelt with the U.S. flag while her two deaf sons, Noah (who also has Down syndrome) and Nico, watched, emphasizing the role of her family in the achievement [1][2]. She credited husband Nic Taylor, nannies, and a supportive network for enabling her to train while caring for her children [1][2]. The moment highlighted her status as the first mother to win Olympic bobsleigh gold and underscored broader discussions about motherhood in elite sport [1][2].
Teammate Kaillie Armbruster Humphries Shares Podium Kaillie Armbruster Humphries, also over 40, secured the bronze medal, marking her fifth consecutive Olympic podium and reinforcing the presence of veteran women in the sport [1][2]. Humphries, a mother herself, noted that her 15‑month‑old son Aulden slept through the competition, illustrating the balancing act faced by competing parents [2]. Both athletes’ medals represent the first time two women over 40 have stood together on a Winter Games bobsleigh podium [1].
Discrepancy in Event Classification and Recent Crash The BBC describes the competition as the women’s monobob , while CNN refers to it as the two‑woman bobsled , reflecting differing terminology across outlets [1][2]. Meyers Taylor overcame a severe crash in early January 2026, just three weeks before the Games, yet posted a track‑record time in the third heat, demonstrating resilience after the accident [2].
Sources
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1.
BBC: Elana Meyers Taylor Becomes Oldest Winter Olympic Gold Medalist: details her gold in the monobob, age record, family dedication, and her role as a pioneering mother‑athlete
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CNN: Elana Meyers‑Taylor Wins Long‑Awaited Gold as Mother of Two Deaf Athletes: focuses on her two‑woman bobsled victory, the close finish over Nolte, the crash recovery, and the broader narrative of motherhood in elite sport
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Timeline
2010 – Elana Meyers Taylor debuts at the Vancouver Winter Olympics and wins silver in the two‑woman bobsleigh, launching a career that later spans five Games and six medals [2].
2010‑2022 – She amasses three Olympic silvers and two bronzes across the 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022 Games, establishing herself as a consistent podium presence [1][2].
2022 – The International Olympic Committee adds the women’s monobob to the Olympic program, a change Meyers Taylor helps champion, expanding opportunities beyond the two‑woman event [1].
2022 – Benjamin Karl sets the record as the oldest individual Winter Olympic champion at age 40, a benchmark Meyers Taylor later surpasses [1].
Jan 2026 – She survives a severe bobsleigh crash three weeks before the Milan‑Cortina Games, then posts a track‑record time in the third heat, demonstrating resilience [2].
Feb 17, 2026 – Meyers Taylor wins gold in the women’s monobob at Milan‑Cortina, finishing 3:57.93 and edging Germany’s Laura Nolte by 0.04 seconds and teammate Kaillie Armbruster Humphries by 0.12 seconds, becoming the oldest individual Winter Olympic champion at age 41 [1].
Feb 17, 2026 – She also claims gold in the two‑woman bobsled with a combined time of 3:57.93, tying Bonnie Blair for the most Olympic medals by an American woman (six) and cementing her status as the most decorated female bobsleigh pilot and black Winter Olympian [2].
Feb 17, 2026 – Meyers Taylor becomes the first mother to win Olympic bobsleigh gold and, alongside Humphries, marks the first time two women over 40 share a Winter Games podium [1].
Feb 17, 2026 – After the race she kneels with the U.S. flag, embraces her deaf children Nico (who also has Down syndrome) and Noah, and dedicates the medal to mothers who sacrifice their dreams [1].
Feb 17, 2026 – Former British bobsledder John Jackson praises her as “a ferocious athlete… a beautiful human being,” while Armbruster Humphries notes they “disprove age‑related stereotypes” [1].
Feb 17, 2026 – Teammate Kaillie Humphries earns bronze, describes caring for her 15‑month‑old son Aulden during competition, and speaks of “mom guilt” yet the need to compete [2].
Feb 17, 2026 – Meyers Taylor reflects on her victory, saying, “It means everything and nothing,” capturing the complex emotions of balancing elite sport and motherhood [2].