Olympian Elana Meyers Taylor on Motherhood, Overcoming Injuries and Winning Gold in Her 40s

When we think of Olympians, it’s easy to imagine superhuman athletes doing things the rest of us could never attempt. And while their accomplishments absolutely deserve the hype, the truth is they’re still juggling everyday life like the rest of us. Just ask Elana Meyers Taylor.

You probably know the American bobsledder as the athlete with six Olympic medals, including a gold from the 2026 Milan Winter Games, and the most decorated Black Winter Olympian in history. Pretty impressive, right? But when she’s not racing down an icy track at high speeds, Meyers Taylor is also a wife and mom of two living in New Braunfels, Texas.

Fresh off her latest Olympic victory in the women’s monobob, Meyers Taylor traded the ice track for a very different lane: the drive-thru. To celebrate her win, she worked a homecoming shift at Raising Cane’s, serving fans chicken fingers for the brand, who is an official sponsor of USA Bobsled & Skeleton and raised $200,000 for Team USA.

In between juggling family life, recovery and public appearances, she’s still pushing the limits of what’s possible in elite sports. I caught up with Meyers Taylor to talk about aging in athletics, motivation, motherhood and more.

You're currently tied for the most Winter Olympic medals by a U.S. woman (6) and tied for second all time among U.S. Winter Olympians in individual medal count. How does that make you feel?
“It truly is quite outstanding, because it's not something I ever set out to do… I just went out there to try and compete at the Olympic level and do the best I could. I never thought I'd sit here and have six Olympic medals. It's been an incredible journey… Maybe I need to go for seven and eight. We'll see.”

How has your life changed after winning gold?
“Life has gotten a little crazy… but also not at all. Immediately after the race I'm still changing diapers, feeding the kids… But then I have interviews, events and travel. It's been a wonderful opportunity to share my love of bobsled and spread some positivity… I didn't win this gold medal in isolation. I'm the one wearing it, but it's really a team effort.”

You've mentioned that music is a big part of your race prep. What's on your playlist these days?
"NUEVAYoL" Bad Bunny, "Walk Me Home" Pink, Andy Grammer… Kendrick Lamar. I'm pretty eclectic. I usually adjust my playlist based on the mood I'm in for that day or for that race… so I have a lot of different songs to get me fired up.

You're 41, what do you think people get wrong about aging in elite sports?
“I think the biggest thing people get wrong about aging in elite sports is that we just haven’t pushed the boundaries yet, especially as women. For a long time people would say you can’t have children and continue to compete… But resources like recovery and sports medicine have improved, and athletes are able to compete longer. I’m definitely a beneficiary of that. My husband’s a chiropractor, so it helps having someone in the house who can help take care of your body. We’re continuing to push the envelope.”

What’s one of the biggest challenges you've faced?
“Just one? (Laughs)… One of the biggest challenges recently has been my back injuries… They were definitely exacerbated by childbirth. Figuring out how to manage that while competing in elite sport and taking care of two kids on the road has been pretty difficult.”

What motivates you to keep pushing?
“My biggest motivator has been my sons. Both my sons are deaf and my oldest has Down syndrome… People tell them all the time that they can’t do something. I want to show them firsthand that even when the world tells you no, you can turn that no into a yes.”

What advice do you have for young people and athletes?
“The world’s going to tell you no plenty of times… but it's up to you to tell yourself that you can. As long as you're telling yourself you can, that's all that matters.”

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