In Milan at the Milano Cortina Games, Elana Meyers Taylor won Olympic gold in the women’s monobob, becoming the United States’ oldest female Winter Olympic champion at 41 while cementing her status as a premier bobsledder and tying the record for most Winter Games medals by a U.S. woman with six.

France? No—Germany’s Laura Nolte took silver and Kaillie Humphries bronze in a tight podium finish, with Humphries earning bronze in her fifth Olympic appearance and reaffirming her long-running presence in the event.

Meyers Taylor’s victory was built on consistent four-run performance rather than dazzling splits, underscoring steadiness as the key to success in the shortest Olympic bobsleigh event.

The win also adds to Meyers Taylor’s legacy as the most decorated Black athlete in Winter Olympics history and echoes earlier milestones set by Black Olympians in the sport.

In speed skating, Femke Kok of the Netherlands captured the women’s 500 metres Olympic title in Milan, delivering a historic wide-margin win and marking the Netherlands’ continued podium success in Cortina.

Kok finished ahead of Jutta Leerdam, with Takagi taking bronze, as the Dutch extended their fast-skating dominance with multiple medals across the Games.

In freestyle skiing, Megan Oldham earned gold in women’s big air while Eileen Gu claimed silver and Flora Tabanelli earned bronze, with the 18-year-old Tabanelli delivering a standout performance for Canada.

In her personal arc, Meyers Taylor has navigated injuries, chronic pain, and the challenge of motherhood, supported by her husband Nic Taylor and a strong coaching federation network, to reach this Olympic peak.

Meyers Taylor’s triumph carried emotional resonance as she celebrated with her two young sons, Nico and Noah, underscoring the broader family and advocacy narratives surrounding her journey.

Additional context from Cortina included ongoing track-condition debates, live reactions, and coverage noting the Netherlands’ growing medal tally in speed skating, along with other results such as Xandra Velzeboer’s short track victory and Meillard’s slalom win in broader Olympic action.

Future storyline threads include Humphries’ historic dual-medal trajectory across Beijing and Milan, her shift from Canada to the United States amid past abuse claims, and the evolving narrative around women’s and Black athletes in Winter Games history.