A 58-year-old woman from Pennsylvania has placed third in the US Olympic Trials for race walking — after retiring from the sport over two decades ago! Michelle Rohl is originally from Wisconsin. She previously competed for Team USA in the 1992, 1996, and 2000 Olympic Games. She retired 20 years ago to focus on homeschooling her five children. Michelle just welcomed her first grandchild three months ago and marked her return to the sport by competing in the 20 kilometer race walk in the US Olympic Team Trials that took place on Saturday, June 29, 2024.
She finished the walk in a little over 1 hour and 42 minutes, earning her third place during the event that was held in Springfield, Oregon. In 1992, she finished 20th place, 14th in 1996, and 17th in 2000.
In an interview, Michelle shared that she trains every day, getting in a total of 45 miles per week at an 8-minute-per-mile pace. She's even managed to race walk her way through several injuries, including a concussion that she suffered last year after tripping and hitting her head on a curb toward the end of a race, and then splitting her chin during a race in Toronto three weeks ago.
More from LittleThings: 5 Fun Olympic-Style Events Families Can Create In Their Very Own Backyards
“I just said, ‘I have to stay on my feet and keep going forward,’” the race walker said as to how she powered through. “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.”
Because the United States doesn’t have a spot for race walkers in Paris at the 2024 Games, Michelle will likely will be unable to compete. But that didn't stop her from giving it her all. Her husband, Michael Rohl, attested to that, saying, “I’ve never known anyone who is as mentally tough as her."
“She likes to run, she likes to compete, and it’s a lifestyle for both of us,” he continued. “It makes her happy, and I’m just happy to be along for the ride.”
Michelle shared that she has no regrets about taking some time away from the sport. “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.’”
Her children range from 18 to 33. “I was ready for a break and I wanted that part of my life,” Michelle explained about what prompted her to initially retire from the sport. But she came back stronger than ever, being the oldest competitor and doing better than when she previously competed all those years ago.
“I told her, ‘You have to do this because you might inspire some other people to keep going,’” Michael shared. “‘Like who does this? The answer is, no one else has. So just go do it and have fun doing it because you can.'"
