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Olympians are expected to be picturesque athletes who are the embodiment of youth and physical prowess.
There is no age limit for the Winter Games, and some Olympians seem to be even more motivated by the fact that they are overlooked because of their age.
American bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor came to the 2026 Olympics at 41 years old. When she won the gold medal for the women's monobob event, she became the oldest woman to ever win an Olympic gold medal. The iconic win also moved her into another prestigious tie.
Meyers Taylor is now tied with Bonnie Blair for the most Winter Olympic medals in history for an American woman. They each have six apiece, but Meyers Taylor has one more event to go at the 2026 Winter Games, which could put her out in front for the overall lead.
Here is more on how Meyers Taylor could pass Bonnie Blair as the American with the most medals in Winter Olympics history.
MORE 2026 OLYMPICS: Live medal tracker | Viewer's guide | Day-by-day schedule
Most medals by an American woman in the Winter Olympics
Here is a look at the most medals won by an American woman at the Winter Olympics.
| Olympian | Sport | Years | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total Medals |
| Bonnie Blair | Speed Skating | 1984-1992 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| Elana Meyers Taylor | Bobsled | 2010, 2014, 2018, 2026 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| Hilary Knight | Hockey | 2010-2026 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| Mikaela Shiffrin | Alpine skiing | 2014-2026 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Jessie Diggins | Cross-country skiing | 2014-2026 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Julia Mancuso | Alpine skiing | 2002-2014 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Julie Chu | Hockey | 2002-2014 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Chloe Kim | Snowboard | 2018-2026 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Kelly Clark | Snowboard | 2002-2014 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Lindsey Vonn | Alpine skiing | 2002, 2006, 2010, 2018, 2026 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
Elana Meyers Taylor Olympic medal count
Meyers Taylor currently has six medals from her Olympic career. She first competed at the Olympics in 2010, and the 2026 Olympics is her fourth time competing at the Winter Games.
Meyers Taylor benefits from bobsledding, expanding its various events. She won the silver medal in 2022 for the inaugural women's monobob event. Meyers Taylor also took the bronze that year in two-person bobsleigh. She picked up her other bronze medal at the 2010 Winter Games, competing in the two-man competition for women. Meyers Taylor took the silver in that event in Sochi in 2014 and in PyeongChang in 2018.
Meyers Taylor will run the two-woman bobsleigh event on Saturday, February 21 with the chance to win a gold medal and break the tie with Blair.
Bonnie Blair Olympic medal count
Blair focused her speed skating career on the 500m and the 1000m events. She earned the first gold medal of her Olympic career in 1988 for the 500m event, and also took the bronze in the 1000m that year. Blair defended her gold medal by winning it again in 1992, and added a gold medal for the 1,000m event. She made it three gold medals in a row for the 500m event in 1994, and won her second consecutive 1000m gold medal. Her final two gold medals in 1994 were the final two of her career.
MORE: Youngest, oldest 2026 American Winter Olympians
Who is the most decorated Black Winter Olympian?
Meyers Taylor is a Jamaican-Panamanian-Italian American. With her six Winter Olympics medals so far, she is the most decorated Black Winter Olympian.
About her ethnicity, Meyers Taylor had a caption on her Instagram that read, "'Growing up as a conglomeration of so many ethnicities I never felt like I had a culture of my own, but now I see I have the great fortune to embody many cultures."
She posted on her X account in 2018 about what her platform means to her saying, "and I work hard to ensure we're positive examples of our race, ethnicity, and gender. Choosing to spread love is never a bad thing, even if it's explaining bobsled to a politician's daughter. The only way to fight hated and bigotry is through love."
MORE: Updated medal standings at 2026 Winter Games
Who is the oldest woman to win gold in the Winter Olympics?
Meyers Taylor is the oldest woman to win gold at the Winter Olympics. She achieved the feat in 2026 when she won the gold medal in the women's monobob event.
It was the first gold medal of her career, and also gave her the record since she won it when she was 41 years old.
MORE: How has Canada fared at the 2026 Winter Olympics?
Who is the most decorated female bobsledder in Olympic history?
Meyers Taylor is the most decorated female bobsledder in Olympic history.
She entered the 2026 Winter Games in a tie alongside Canada's Kallie Humphries with five medals apiece. Meyers Taylor's gold medal in the monobob not only made her the oldest woman to win a gold medal in Winter Olympic history, but also pushed her past Humphries and she became the most decorated female bobsledder in history.
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