George Washington University Athletics
Elana Meyers Taylor Charges Into a Historic Fifth Olympic Games
2/3/2026 3:46:00 PM | Softball
GW softball alumna looks to build on global legacy
As her U.S. Olympic Team bio page opens, Elana Meyers Taylor is the definition of bobsleigh royalty.
Meyers Taylor, a GW softball alumna (2003–07), is both the most decorated athlete in U.S. bobsleigh history and the most decorated Black Winter Olympian in history. Meyers Taylor is set to compete in her fifth Olympic Games as she prepares for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy. A trailblazer both on and off the ice, Meyers Taylor continues to redefine longevity and excellence at the highest level of sport.
Meyers Taylor enters Milano Cortina as a five-time Olympic medalist, a veteran leader, and a model of consistency for Team USA. Meyers Taylor has not only medaled in every Winter Olympic Games since 2010 – she has stood on the podium in all five Olympic events in which she has participated. Meyers Taylor's fifth Olympic appearance places her among an elite group of athletes to sustain elite performance across multiple decades.
The Douglasville, Ga., native's inspiration extends beyond the sport. At 41 and a mother of two, Meyers Taylor continues to redefine what's possible for elite athletes returning to competition after childbirth, inspiring the next generation of athletes who battle the balance of family life with competitive ambitions.
Now a pride of the U.S. Olympic Team, Meyers Taylor's journey to Olympic stardom came through Northwest Washington, D.C., where she was a pioneer on GW's inaugural softball team.
Meyers Taylor was GW softball's first-ever recruit and star player, and was the first GW softball player to earn All-Conference recognition. Her jersey number 24 hangs at the GW Softball Field as the only number retired by the program, and her name can still be found throughout the GW softball record book.
Meyers Taylor's pursuit of another Olympic medal begins Feb. 15 with the first day of bobsleigh competition in Italy. Medals for women's monobob will be awarded on Feb. 16, while women's two-woman medals will be awarded on Feb. 21.
Olympic bobsleigh competition features four heats per event, contested over two consecutive days, with two heats held each day. Each heat consists of a single run down the track, and final standings are determined by the fastest combined time across all four runs.
