Olympic bobsledder and mom of boys with special needs wins first gold

Elana Meyers Taylor, an Olympic champion bobsledder and mom of two boys with special needs, was already the most decorated Black athlete in Winter Olympics history. Now, she's won her first ever gold medal, and she's telling the world that it proves motherhood and aging doesn't have to hinder female athletes.

Key Takeaways:

• Meyers Taylor, the most decorated Black athlete in Winter Olympics history, has won many medals — but she just won her first-ever gold, which she said was her mission in this year's games.

• She was selected to represent Team USA in 2026 by the USA Bobsled & Skeleton selection committee.

• Meyers Taylor is now tied with speedskater Bonnie Blair for the most medals won by a female U.S. Winter Olympian.

• In an interview after her win, she and fellow bobsledder Kaillie Humphries, who won bronze, celebrated being both medalists and mothers.

The Backstory:

While Meyers Taylor is well-known for her accomplishments as an Olympic champion, she is also a wife and mother, and both of her sons having special needs.

She had competed after giving birth to her older son, Nico, and has since given birth to a second son, Noah. She continued racing after having Nico because she wanted to serve as an inspiration to other mothers.

"I just wanted to show it’s possible. It’s possible to compete at the highest level at 37 years old,” she said. “It’s possible to have a baby and come back from pregnancy and continue competing. It’s possible to do extended breastfeeding and physically perform better than most in the works. It’s possible to travel the world with your family, including a baby, and win races. It’s possible to parent a child with special needs and continue to chase your dreams."

Both Nico and Noah are deaf, and Nico also has Down syndrome. The family communicates using American Sign Language (ASL). She taught them three new signs in preparation for this year's games: the signs for "champion," "bobsled," and "gold medal."

The Details:

Meyers Taylor's win in the monobob competition came after Germany's Laura Nolte made crucial mistakes and lost her lead. While watching, Meyers Taylor fell to the ground, clutching an American flag and sobbing, with both of her sons at her side.

Elana Meyers Taylor wins stunning monobob gold medal

Meyers Taylor is 41 years old and a mother of two. She is also recovering from a brutal crash earlier this year. "I thought it was impossible," she told ESPN.

But she is now the oldest American female gold medalist in the history of the Winter Olympics.

According to the NCAA:

With six career Winter Olympic medals, Meyers Taylor is tied for second all time among U.S. Winter Olympians in individual medal count. Only Apolo Anton Ohno has more, with eight.

She is now tied with speedskater Bonnie Blair for the most career Winter Olympic medals by an American woman.

Her sixth medal extends her status as the most decorated Black athlete in Winter Olympic history, a mark she previously reached during the Beijing Games.

Kaillie Humphries, a mother who is also racing for Team USA, finished in third, earning bronze. And like Meyers Taylor, she is also considered older for an Olympian, racing — and medaling— at age 40. Humphries gave birth less than two years ago.

Upon their wins, motherhood was at the forefront of both women's minds.

“It’s everything, and it’s nothing — because in six days, I’ve got school pick-up in the middle of Texas," Meyers Taylor told The Athletic after her win.

Given that the time of day was so late, both moms joked about the effect it had on bedtimes; Meyers Taylor's sons managed to stay awake, while Humphries' son was fast asleep.

“It was way past their bedtime, but to have them here and share that moment with them at the bottom, it was really cool," Meyers Taylor said.

Humphries added that her son "was 100 percent asleep when they handed him to me. I was like, ‘I’m sorry, kid, but I’m getting this moment with you.'”

The Bottom Line:

Both women argued that their success proves motherhood does not mean the end of your dreams.

“I grew up in this sport and would hear, if you have kids, once you get to 40, it’s all downhill," Humphries said. "Elana and I get to be proof that’s not true. It might look different than when you’re 20, but it doesn’t mean you can’t stand on top of the podium.”

Meyers Taylor told NBC News, “Nobody in their right mind would say, ‘Hey, a 41-year-old woman is going to have a shot at another Olympic medal in a speed and power sport.' I want my children to know that people told their mom that it can’t happen and then she went for it anyways.”