Michelle Rohl — who previously competed at the 1992, 1996 and 2000 Olympics — retired from the sport 20 years ago to homeschool her kids. Now, she’s back and kicking asphalt!
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Imagine coming out of retirement after two decades and snagging third place at the Olympic trials! Our star, Michelle Rohl, did just that. At 58, she’s strutting her stuff in the 20-kilometer race walk. The race was held in Springfield, Oregon, and she finished in just over an hour and 42 minutes. Not too shabby, right?
Michelle, a Wisconsin native, has three Olympics under her belt. She could have added another, but alas, there’s no spot for race walkers from the U.S. at the 2024 Games. Go figure! Regardless, she’s proving age is just a number.
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Training for her comeback was no stroll in the park. Michelle crushes 45 miles a week at an 8-minute pace. She’s battled injuries, too. Imagine hitting your head on a curb right before the end of a race or splitting your chin in Toronto. Tough cookie, indeed!
Michelle’s mantra? “Stay on my feet and keep going forward.” No wonder her husband Michael called her the toughest person he knows. He should know, seeing as he’s been her biggest cheerleader.
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Michael says the whole racewalking gig is a lifestyle for them, keeping Michelle’s spirits high. Even their kids, now grown, have joined the cheer squad. Her middle daughter hinted that perhaps they were the secret to Michelle’s athletic resurgence. Go, team Rohl!
Despite taking a two-decade “break” to homeschool her five kids, Michelle shows zero regrets. She wanted that chapter of her life, and she’s embraced it with no looking back.
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What a legend! At the trials, she was the oldest competitor, and her only goal was to walk away (quite literally) while inspiring others. Michael’s final pep talk? “Do it because you can, who else does this? No one!”
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So, to all you grandmas and grandpas, dust off those running shoes! If Michelle can come out of a 20-year hibernation and kick some serious butt, what’s stopping you? Go on, chase those dreams! Besides, as they say, we might inspire someone else to keep going.
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Explore more about the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls at TeamUSA.com and stay tuned for more inspirational reads here. Don’t miss the Paris Olympics and Paralympics starting July 26 on NBC and Peacock!
