Elana Meyers Taylor grabbed gold in the women’s monobob at the Milan-Cortina Games on Feb. 16, finishing four runs in 3:57.93 — just 0.04 seconds ahead of Germany’s Laura Nolte. The margin was infinitesimal, decided on the final descent, and made Meyers Taylor, at 41, the oldest athlete ever to win an individual Winter Olympic gold.
The race itself was a nail‑biter. Nolte led going into the final run, with Canada’s Kaillie Humphries Armbruster close behind; Humphries’ total of 3:58.05 guaranteed her bronze. In a sport where hundredths of a second matter, Meyers Taylor produced a near‑perfect last run and edged into first. Officials validated the times and, after the customary checks, the podium stood.
This victory also rewrites her career tally: Meyers Taylor now owns six Olympic medals, matching Bonnie Blair for the most Winter Olympic medals by a U.S. woman and extending her place as the most decorated Black athlete in Winter Olympics history. The win deepens a long narrative of near misses and persistence — she’d come close in Sochi and Pyeongchang and stood on the Beijing podium — and now tops it with the gold she’s chased for years.
Her season had been anything but certain. Early results suggested retirement might be looming: a 10th-place World Cup ranking in monobob and a 19th-place run on the Olympic test track left questions. Off the ice, she juggled recovery from past concussions and parenting two young deaf sons, Nico and Noah. In December she even texted her husband that she was ready to stop.
A pivotal moment arrived when Nic Taylor flew to Norway to be with her after a well-wisher arranged a ticket. That presence, and a broader circle of support, noticeably lifted her confidence and form. The turnaround culminated in the dramatic final runs in Cortina — a reminder that momentum and support networks can matter as much as technique.
The victory was also a family scene: Meyers Taylor celebrated on the track with her sons, who had been taught simple sign phrases like “gold medal” and “Olympic champion.” Young Noah even helped place the medal around his mother’s neck, a private moment that lit up an already emotional occasion.
Beyond personal milestones, the result reshapes conversations in U.S. winter sport. Kaysha Love, the reigning world monobob champion, finished seventh, underscoring how form can swing even among elite competitors; team selections and strategies for upcoming events will likely be reassessed. Meyers Taylor, meanwhile, has spoken about needing time to process the win and has rekindled discussions about retirement and family plans — including the possibility of another child — even as she prepares to race again in the two‑woman event with rookie push athlete Jadin O’Brien.
Small margins, big meaning: a 0.04‑second gap, a 41‑year‑old champion, and a career punctuated by resilience and community. The official results stand, and now the story turns to what comes next for one of America’s most enduring winter athletes.