US bobsleigh athlete wins Olympic gold after 16 years

Here's a story that truly proves that if at first you don't succeed, then try, try and try again.

A US athlete has finally been crowned Winter Olympic champion after sixteen years of trying.

Bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor had won everything there is to win in the sport - except for Olympic gold.

But finally, after competing at five different Winter Games, she added that missing medal to her collection, after finishing in first place in the women's monobob.

Meyers Taylor competed at her first Winter Olympics in 2010, which took place in the Canadian city of Vancouver.

She also took part in the 2014 Games in Russia, the 2018 Games in South Korea as well as the 2022 Winter Olympics in China - before coming to Italy to compete at her fifth Winter Games, which are currently underway.

Since her first appearance at the Olympics 16 years ago, she has won three silver and two bronze medals across two events - the monobob and the two-woman bobsleigh.

However, she had never won gold.

That was, until earlier this week, when her combined time over four heats in the women's monobob, was just enough to edge out her competition and see her finally finish on top of the podium.

After her victory, Meyers Taylor said she was proud of her long-awaited achievement.

"Finally the gold! It took long enough, right?" she said.

"It just goes to show you... just to keep persevering, my team and everybody behind me, it means so much to come away as Olympic champion."

Meyers Taylor's two young children were in the crowd to see their mum win gold.

By becoming Olympic champion, she's also broken a number of records.

Meyers Taylor has become the oldest-ever gold medal winner in any Winter Olympics individual event, at the age of 41.

The four-time world champion is also the most decorated black athlete at a Winter Olympics.

And her victory makes her the most decorated female bobsleigh pilot of all time.