Track Star to World Champion Slider in 8 Years at Age 31

Mystique Ro was sleeping on a teammate's couch after exhausting her NCAA track eligibility at Queens University of Charlotte when her phone buzzed with an opportunity that seemed worlds away from hurdles and heptathlon.

Team USA was looking for bobsled brakemen and texting athletes nationwide. The 31-year-old from Nokesville, Virginia, earned an invite to a combine in South Carolina, then a ticket to Lake Placid's training facility.

Coaches took one look at her small stature and pointed her toward skeleton instead. The sport favors lighter athletes who can maintain blistering speeds while sliding headfirst down a mile of ice in under 60 seconds.

She finished top three at her first camp in 2017. Eight years later, she's wearing two medals from the 2025 World Championships: silver in the women's event and gold in the mixed relay with teammate Austin Florian.

The mixed relay event makes its Olympic debut in 2026, putting Mystique's golden moment in perfect timing.

Her secret weapon? Never abandoning her track and field roots. "I found that I needed to stick with what I know," she says. "When I deter from that too much, I start to see a little more injuries."

The power in skeleton comes from a short 25 to 40 meter sprint before hopping on the board. Those familiar explosive starts from her hurdles days translate directly to ice.

At 31, recovery has become just as crucial as training. "I stopped being in denial that I'm getting older. I have to actually recover properly," she says. Sleep comes first. "I'm an old lady now. When it's time to go to bed, it's time to go to bed."

Why This Inspires

Racing headfirst at 80 miles per hour requires mastering fear, not eliminating it. Mystique focuses on key reference points during her sub-minute runs because there's no time to process everything flying past.

"You have to accept [fear]. If you try to deny it, it starts to manifest in bad places on the track, and you don't want that at 80 miles an hour," she says. "You have to harness it from the beginning."

From couch surfing to world champion, Mystique proves that your next great chapter might arrive in a single text message.