Bobsledder Wins Gold at 41, Thanks Her Kids' Nanny First

When Elana Meyers Taylor crossed the finish line at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, she made history as the American woman with the most Winter Olympic medals ever. But the 41-year-old mom didn't run to her coach or her husband first.

She hugged Macy, her children's nanny.

In that moment, and again during interviews afterward, Elana made sure everyone knew: this gold medal belonged to her village too. "It felt so important to give back to the people who gave so much to me," she told Women's Health podcast The Huddle.

This was Elana's fifth Olympics and her first gold medal. She's now tied with speed skating legend Bonnie Blair for the most Winter Olympic medals won by an American woman. The journey took two decades, two young sons (Nico, 6, and Noah, 3), and learning one crucial lesson along the way.

She had to ask for help.

"Before motherhood, it was like, 'No, I'm just gonna stubborn my way through this and do it myself,'" Elana says. "But motherhood has definitely humbled me in that regard." Macy and the previous nannies she's worked with didn't just watch her kids. They believed in her mission and loved her family as their own.

Her husband Nic, a former Team USA bobsledder himself, became another anchor. As Elana navigates the post-Olympics blues that many athletes face, he's been there before. He knows what it looks like when the adrenaline fades and you're expected to return to normal life while your support system takes a needed break.

So Elana is grounding herself in everyday motherhood tasks like signing up for the PTA. "Having something I could attach my value to outside of sport is what's really helpful during those hardest moments," she says.

Sunny's Take

What makes this story so powerful isn't just the medal count. It's watching an elite athlete stand on the world's biggest stage and say out loud what working mothers everywhere know: we don't do this alone.

Elana's public gratitude to Macy sends a message that childcare isn't invisible labor. The people who care for our families while we chase our dreams deserve recognition too. By thanking her nanny first, Elana showed that asking for help isn't weakness. It's how champions are made.

Now, as she recovers with compression boots and PTA meetings, Elana is proving that going home can be just as brave as going for gold.