Bob star Elana's a believer

Olympic bobsleigh star Elana Meyers Taylor has crowned a career of bruising setbacks and bold faith with a long-awaited gold medal.

The 41-year-old American, a mother of two young sons, won monobob gold at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in February, roaring to victory in Cortina d’Ampezzo by just 0.04 seconds ahead of Germany’s Laura Nolte.

It was her sixth Olympic medal – after three silvers and two bronzes – and made her one of the most decorated women in Winter Olympic history.

But for Meyers Taylor, the story has always been bigger than the podium.

A former softball standout at George Washington University, she once dreamed of making the US Olympic softball team.

When that route collapsed, she switched to bobsleigh in 2007 – and within two weeks of a try-out at Lake Placid had made the national team.

Her faith, she explained, was forged during a painful university season when softball had become the centre of her identity.

“My sophomore year, our softball team was doing really badly and our season ended up getting cancelled,” she said. “So, that being the centre of my life, I got really depressed. I didn’t know what to do and I didn’t k now what my purpose was.”

Searching spiritually, she said the answer came clearly: “It hit me that Jesus is the way.”

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