A 58-year-old grandmother from Pennsylvania, in the United States, Michelle Rohl, is making an unexpected return to the Olympics in a sport she had retired from years ago.
Rohl, originally a distance runner who transitioned to racewalking, represented Team USA in the 1992, 1996, and 2000 Olympic Games.
After retiring more than two decades ago to homeschool her five children, she has come back stronger than ever.
According to The Morning Call, she recently secured a spot in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for the 20-kilometer race walk on June 29.
Competing in Springfield, Oregon, Rohl finished the race in just over an hour and 42 minutes, securing third place overall.
This achievement is remarkable considering her past Olympic results of finishing 20th in 1992, 14th in 1996, and 17th in 2000. She now trains daily, covering 45 miles per week at an 8-minute-per-mile pace.
Despite enduring several injuries, including a concussion in 2023 and a chin injury in a race in Toronto three weeks ago, Rohl remained determined.
She told The Morning Call, “I just said, ‘I have to stay on my feet and keep going forward.’ I was glad to be done, really. It would have been more rewarding if I wasn’t just trying to stay up for the last two laps.”
Her husband, Michael Rohl, expressed his admiration, saying, “I’ve never known anyone who is as mentally tough as her.”
Michael, 59, added, “She likes to run, she likes to compete, and it’s a lifestyle for both of us. It makes her happy, and I’m just happy to be along for the ride.”
Reflecting on her decision to step away from the sport to raise her children, now aged 33 to 18, Michelle shared a conversation with her middle daughter.
“My middle daughter was like, ‘Mom, you were a really good athlete. Then you had kids,’ ” she said. “‘And then we all grew up, and you’re a great athlete again. I think we were the reason.’ ”
However, Michelle emphasized that she wanted to take that break, stating, “I was ready for a break and I wanted that part of my life.”
As the oldest athlete at the Olympic trials, Michelle did not expect to perform as she did decades ago, but her recent accomplishments, including setting the American mile record for women in her age group in 2023, speak volumes.
Now, she is heading to the Olympics with the unwavering support of her family.
Michael encouraged her by saying, “I told her, ‘You have to do this because you might inspire some other people to keep going. Like who does this? The answer is, no one else has. So just go do it and have fun doing it because you can.’ ”
