Elana Meyers Taylor Secures Historic Monobob Gold at 2026 Winter Olympics

Historic Gold for Veteran Bobsledder

Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy – American bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor, at 41 years old, achieved a career-defining milestone on Monday, February 16, 2026, by winning her first Olympic gold medal in the women's monobob event at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo. This victory, secured at the Cortina Sliding Centre, adds a gold to her impressive collection of Olympic hardware, bringing her total to six medals (one gold, three silver, two bronze) and tying her with speed skater Bonnie Blair as the most decorated U.S. woman in Winter Olympic history.

A Dramatic Come-from-Behind Victory

Meyers Taylor's path to gold was a dramatic one, as she rallied in the fourth and final heat to overcome Germany's Laura Nolte, who had led for the first three heats. Meyers Taylor completed her four runs with a combined time of 3 minutes, 57.93 seconds. Nolte ultimately secured the silver medal, finishing just 0.04 seconds behind the American. Fellow American Kaillie Humphries Armbruster earned the bronze medal, marking her fifth Olympic medal.

Breaking Records and Inspiring Generations

This gold medal is particularly significant for Meyers Taylor, who became the oldest American woman to win a gold medal at the Winter Games. It was her fifth Olympic appearance, having previously earned three silver and two bronze medals across her career. Her triumph also solidifies her standing as the most decorated Black athlete in Winter Olympic history.

Monobob's Growing Prominence

The women's monobob event, which made its Olympic debut at the Beijing 2022 Games, features a single athlete pushing and piloting the sled down the course. Meyers Taylor's win highlights the increasing prominence of this event in the bobsledding world. The competition took place over two days, with heats 1 and 2 on February 15, and the decisive heats 3 and 4 on February 16.