Elana Meyers-Taylor: "My son Nico is my biggest inspiration"
Three-time Olympic medallist Elana Meyers Taylor is targeting that elusive gold medal at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics in China
Bobsleigh
Four-time IBSF bobsleigh world champion Elana Meyers Taylor has been to three Olympic Games. If she qualifies for Beijing 2022, then the American will line up as one of the oldest competitors, aged 37-years-old.
She’s enjoyed her Olympic experiences but after PyeongChang 2018, she considered leaving the sport to start a new life.
"Nico is my biggest motivator ever" – Elana Meyers Taylor to Olympics.com
Meyers Taylor gave birth to her son, Nico, in 2020. She told the Olympic Channel podcast that it has given her a new motivation for her athletic career – as evidenced by her beautiful Instagram feed.
Elana Meyers Taylor: Mother to her son Nico
“I was very excited with my performance [at the 2018 Olympics],” Elana, who came away with a silver medal in the two-woman bobsleigh, said to Olympics.com
“I was very happy with how I did, but I wasn't really sure what was next for me... So, I competed that next season and it didn't go well at all. It was a miserable season.
“I was really not sure if I wanted to continue to try for 2022 Games. But, lo and behold, we had Nico and then I had this new sense of purpose.”
Elana Meyers Taylor: The secret to success over a long period
Elana has an Olympic bronze medal from Vancouver 2010; in addition to her two silver medals from Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2018. It’s been a sustained period of elite competition for the American.
_“_One of the secrets to my success has just been the people I surround myself with," she told the Olympic Channel Podcast.
“I'm fortunate to have my husband [Nic Taylor], who also competes in the sport and he is the greatest teammate anybody could ever ask for and he also coaches me.
“He's one of the most positive people I've ever met. So to have that as your teammate and your partner in life - that's huge.”
Elana Meyers Taylor: The new Olympic discipline of monobob
Meyers Taylor is still searching for that elusive Olympic gold medal. And this edition of the Winter Olympic Games features another opportunity to do it. The women’s monobob will feature at Beijing 2022 for the first time in the history of the Games.
It involves going down the run solo and promises to be one of the highlights of the whole Games.
“It is super exciting to have new this new monobob addition…" she shares.
“Those sledges drive like nothing I've ever driven before. They are somewhere between a skeleton and a bobsled, so they're pretty interesting.
“I don't have much experience driving a monobob [but] I'm looking forward to the challenge. But I do recognise it is going to be a challenge. But challenges never stop me from going after it.”
Elana Meyers Taylor: Friend and competitor Kaillie Humpries
Kaillie Humphries is a double Olympic champion and is one of the big rivals to Elana for success at a world level.
After representing Canada at the previous three Olympic Games editions, Humphries is now vying for a spot on the USA team.
Despite being rivals on the ice, away from competition the pair are good friends and have trained together previously.
“I think the biggest thing is we're always going to be competitors, regardless of whether she was competing for Canada or the US…
“We're fierce competitors and we're going to do whatever it takes to win, but then help each other [too]…
“I think both of us would like it to be a situation where things are decided on the ice and then off the ice, you can go hang out.”