With the Olympic Winter Games taking place February 6–February 22 in Milan and Cortina d’ Ampezzo, Italy, just three weeks away, athletes in the sliding sports are making their final pushes to be named to their respective Olympic teams. For U.S. skeleton athlete Mystique Ro, earning a spot on Team USA would be the culmination of years of hard work and tenacity.
A track and field standout at Queens University of Charlotte, Ro discovered bobsledding through a recruitment email sent by Elana Meyers Taylor, an Olympic sledder and world champion, to track athletes nationwide. Initially, Ro’s intent was to participate in the discipline, but her coaches determined her size (5’4′) and skill set were more conducive to the skeleton.
Now, the 31-year-old, who was raised in Nokesville, Virginia, is in her ninth season of competition. After years of perseverance, she reached international acclaim in 2025, winning an individual silver medal and a mixed team gold medal at the World Championships.
“A lot of the stressors, the distraction things, were really big this summer — trying to get back to the core of how my mental space was before I started to get on everyone’s radar and they started to notice who I was,” said Ro. “Honestly, I’m just keeping it simple.”
In skeleton, the athlete goes down the ice track headfirst on a sled. Ro described sliding as a simple task, but one that is difficult to perform because of the high speed. The slightest move can change everything. Her approach is to put away the stress and drama. Sometimes that means a quick cry, which releases negative energy and allows her to focus.
While there are races in North America, much of the skeleton season is in Europe. Maintaining the same diet as she eats when training at home in Lake Placid has been a skill she’s developed.
“Trying to minimize the change has been really big for me,” said Ro, who stays at the same locations from year to year, so she knows what grocery stores are nearby. “This year, I bought a blender. It helps me frontload the morning with nutrients I would be missing otherwise.”
Ro’s ascension in skeleton has come by challenging the status quo. Her fast push disrupted the roster. She has been studious in her approach — watching competitions, recording, analyzing video, and discussing the sport; “being open-minded and seeing different concepts,” Ro said.
“This isn’t a holiday for me — this is work, this is my job. It’s to dial in and learn these tracks and learn how to do it fast.”
With the Olympics close at hand, athletes are going all out in their World Cup races. Ro is currently competing in Germany and awaiting the announcement of the U.S. team. “I need to finish the job,” she said. “Making the team would be amazing.”
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