Pa. grandmother finishes third in 20K race walking event at US Olympic Trials

A Pennsylvania grandmother put up an impressive showing at the US Olympics’ Team trials over the weekend when she finished in third place in a race walking event – more than 20 years after she first walked away from the grueling sport.

Michelle Rohl, 58, clinched third-place in the 20,000-kilometer race walking event in Springfield, Oregon on Saturday with a sharp time of 1:42:17.

The bronze medal caps off an astonishing return to the sport Rohl once retired from to homeschool her five children — who are now all grown, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Michelle Rohl places second in the women’s 20km race walk in 1:42:27 in the 20km race walk during the US Olympic Team Trials on Jun 29, 2024. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

It also comes three months after her first grandchild was born.

“She’s an excited grandma,” her husband Michael Rohl told the newspaper leading up to the race. “We get pictures every day of our little grandson.”

Rohl’s competed in three Olympics already – 1992, 1996, and 2000 – with her top finish taking place in the 10K walk in 1996 when she finished 14th.

The four-time US champion in the 20K trained daily leading up the trials even as she suffered a concussion last year and ongoing knee aches, the Inquirer reported.

She reportedly busted her chin a few weeks ago after she tripped and fell during a race that led up to the Olympic trials on Saturday.

Robyn Stevens (C), celebrates with third place finisher Rohl (L) and seance place finisher Miranda Melville after winning the women’s 20km race walk at the US Track and Field Olympic Team Trials on June 29, 2024, in Springfield, Ore. AP

But the injury didn’t slow her down.

“I just said, ‘I have to stay on my feet and keep going forward,’” the new grandmother told the newspaper.

Rohl began her career as a distance runner in college before she switched to race walking because of Achilles tendon injuries.

Rohl in action during the United States Track and Field Trials in 1992. Getty Images

Robyn Stevens, 41, got first place during the 20,000-meter race walk at the trials and Miranda Melville, 35, was awarded second place, according to the Register-Guard in Oregon.

None of the top three finishers hit the Olympic standard time of 1:29:20 though, according to the newspaper.

Going into the trial, Rohl told the Inquirer she didn’t expect to be an Olympian again, but was ready to bask in the moment regardless.

“My middle daughter was like, ‘Mom, you were a really good athlete. Then you had kids,’” Rohl said. “‘And then we all grew up, and you’re a great athlete again. I think we were the reason.’ Well, I wanted to. I was ready for a break, and I wanted that part of my life.”