Michelle Rohl, 58, achieved third place in the 20-kilometer race walking event in Springfield, Oregon on Saturday, finishing with a swift time of 1:42:17.
Her notable performance comes more than two decades after she initially stepped away from the demanding sport.
Rohl retired to homeschool her five children, who are now all grown, as reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer.
This achievement also follows just three months after the birth of her first grandchild. “She’s an excited grandma,” remarked her husband Michael Rohl to the newspaper in anticipation of the race. “We receive pictures of our little grandson every day.”
Rohl previously competed in three Olympics – 1992, 1996, and 2000 – but had never placed as high as third. Her best finish was in 1996 when she participated in the 10K walk and secured 14th place.
A four-time US champion in the 20K race, Rohl maintained daily training sessions leading up to the trials despite battling a concussion last year and persistent knee discomfort, according to the Inquirer.
Just a few weeks before the Olympic trials on June 29, Rohl suffered a chin injury after tripping and falling during a race. However, she persevered through the setback. “I just said, ‘I have to stay on my feet and keep moving forward,'” she recounted to the newspaper.
Rohl began her athletic career as a long-distance runner in college but transitioned to race walking due to Achilles tendon injuries.
