Game On!

Elana Meyers Taylor steps up to her bobsled. She gathers her strength and grabs the handles on the back of the sled. Then she runs as fast as she can while pushing the sled on the icy track. At just the right moment, she jumps in and . . . whoosh! She’s off, zipping down the track at about 75 miles per hour. The ride ends after she crosses the finish line less than a minute later.

Welcome to the action-packed sport called monobob. The one-person bobsled event is set to make its Olympic debut at the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, China. From February 4 to 20, athletes from more than 80 countries will compete in 15 sports, including ice hockey, figure skating, snowboarding, and downhill skiing.

Meyers Taylor is already a three-time Olympian. She has won two silver medals and a bronze in the two-woman bobsled event. Now she’s hoping to add a gold to her collection. As Scholastic News went to press, Meyers Taylor was competing in the bobsledding World Cup to qualify for a spot on the 2022 U.S. Olympic team. 

“The Olympics represent the highest level of competition,” says Meyers Taylor. “Seeing how united the whole world can be for a few weeks is the coolest thing.”

Like other Olympic hopefuls, Meyers Taylor knows it takes hard work and dedication to reach the Games. She heads to the track two or three times a week for practice runs and sessions with her coaches. She also runs and lifts weights four to six hours a day to build speed and strength. 

“Our sleds weigh more than 370 pounds, and we have to move them very quickly,” she explains. 

In her 15 years as a bobsledder, Meyers Taylor has had to overcome a number of challenges. She arrived at the 2018 Games in a wheelchair because of a foot injury. Still, she fought through the pain to win a silver medal. She says that was the accomplishment of a lifetime. 

Meyers Taylor is focused on getting her first gold in Beijing. But, she says, no matter what her results are, all her hard work will be worth it. 

“It’s not about winning or losing—it’s about stepping to the start line and giving it everything I’ve got.”