Two Moms Over 40 Win Gold and Bronze in Olympic Bobsled

Two American moms just rewrote the rules about what's possible after 40, capturing gold and bronze medals in one of the Winter Olympics' most demanding sports.

Elana Meyers Taylor, 41, and Kaillie Humphries, 40, dominated the monobob competition Monday night in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. The nail-biting four-heat race came down to the final run, where Meyers Taylor came from behind to clinch her first career gold medal.

"I'm super excited to finally have a gold medal and to have worked so hard all these years," Meyers Taylor said after her victory. With this win, she now holds the record as the Black athlete with the most Olympic medals in Winter Games history, with seven total medals spanning two decades.

Humphries, competing just two years after giving birth to her son in 2024, earned bronze and added to her impressive collection of five Olympic medals. German slider Laura Nolte, 27, took silver between the two American champions.

The monobob event itself represents a victory these women helped create. Both athletes pushed the International Olympic Committee to add the single-person women's bobsled event to the Games, finally achieving parity with men's competitions.

Their path to the podium wasn't easy. Humphries returned to competition just four and a half months after giving birth, following a difficult journey with endometriosis and IVF treatments. Meyers Taylor, mother of two sons, has spoken openly about managing years of breastfeeding, sleep deprivation, and back pain while training at the highest level.

"It's been quite a bit on my body," Meyers Taylor acknowledged. "But I wouldn't trade it for the world."

Why This Inspires

These athletes are changing what the world expects from mothers and women over 40. They're proving that having children doesn't end athletic careers. It can fuel them.

Their success sends a powerful message to young athletes and parents everywhere: your dreams don't have an expiration date. Whether you're pushing a bobsled down an icy track or pursuing any other goal, dedication and determination can overcome timelines society tries to impose.

At the 2022 Beijing Games, Humphries won gold while Meyers Taylor captured silver after being cleared from COVID isolation just in time to compete. Four years later, they're still racing, still winning, and still inspiring.

Their story proves that the strongest force in sports isn't youth. It's the refusal to give up on yourself.