Two-Time Olympic Skeleton Athlete Mirela Rahneva Slides into Retirement

CALGARY—One of Canada’s most accomplished skeleton athletes, Mirela Rahneva, has decided to park her sled from competitive racing.

The Ottawa native slides into retirement after an 11-year career where she racked up 15 World Cup medals including five victories. Rahneva also added her name to a list of legendary Canadian skeleton athletes who have won World Championship medals, taking the bronze on her favourite track in 2023 at the birthplace of the sliding sports in St. Moritz, Switzerland. She celebrated three Crystal Globes for finishing third overall on the World Cup circuit and enjoyed two trips to the Olympic Games (2022, 2018) that included a fifth-place finish in Beijing.

“As an athlete, the pursuit of new goals has always driven me, and for years, I’ve been inspired by the challenge of striving for more. This year, I’ve taken the time to reflect on my accomplishments in sport and feel a strong pull toward exploring new opportunities and passions beyond competition. Recognizing what I’ve achieved has given me the confidence and excitement to step into this next phase with purpose.” said Rahneva. “I’ve had an incredible experience in sport, largely due to the women who have been involved in shaping and elevating the sport scene into what it is today. Canada has always had a strong women’s skeleton program, and I feel so fortunate to be part of its legacy. Trailblazers like Mellisa Hollingsworth, Michelle Kelly, and Sarah Reid set a pretty high standard which really inspired my generation to aim high and push harder.

“Representing Canada has been the ultimate honour, and doing so alongside such talented driven women has made the experience even more rewarding, but I’m now ready to embrace new opportunities that allow me to contribute in a different way.”

Some would argue Mirela Rahneva was born to compete. Her dad Stoyan was a competitive acrobatic gymnast. Her late mom, Valentina, was an elite sprinter.

Once the family moved to Canada from Bulgaria in 1998 when Mirela was 10, her parents encouraged involvement in sport as a way to help their daughter integrate into Canadian culture. Frequent visits to the Terry Fox Athletic Facility in Ottawa and a self-marked 100-metre section of a local bicycle path is where Mirela began her early days of training.

Rahneva had always dreamed of the Olympics and high-level sport, but little did she know this precious time spent with her parents on the track would lay the foundation of her Olympic journey.

“Being active and involved in sport was something my parents emphasized from a really young age. They made sure we developed healthy habits – eating well, staying active, and even practicing things like meditation and visualization, way before it was trendy. Those habits became the foundation for everything else, from doing well in school to building strong friendships,” said Rahneva.

A former rugby player at the University of Guelph where she earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree, Rahneva decided to take her raw speed to the skeleton track after watching two-time Olympic bobsleigh medallist Heather Moyse competing in Vancouver.  Too small for bobsleigh, she was immediately hooked onto the sport of skeleton following a Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton recruitment camp. Rahneva left her job as a destination wedding planner in Toronto, diving headfirst into a new-found Olympic dream.

She wasted no time introducing herself to the world’s best skeleton athletes. Rahneva enjoyed a breakout rookie season on the World Cup in 2016-17 that saw her slide onto the podium four times and claim her first Crystal Globe for finishing third in the overall standings.

Her first medal may be the most memorable, racing to the bronze, in just her second World Cup start with her late mother, in the midst of a courageous battle with cancer, trackside to celebrate with her child.

“Having my mom trackside in Lake Placid was one of the most emotional and meaningful moments of my career. Skeleton isn’t exactly a mom-friendly sport - it’s fast, unpredictable, and undoubtedly nerve-wracking to watch - but she embraced it because she knew how much it meant to me,” said Rahneva. “Earning my very first World Cup podium on the very track I started my career on and sharing that moment with her was an incredible feeling. I owe so much of my success and the opportunities I’ve been awarded to her support and the sacrifices she’s made for our family.

"My mom was a true warrior. She fought a brave and relentless battle with cancer on and off for 17 years, showing strength and courage like no one else I’ve ever known. She had an incredible ability to see the best in people, always highlighting their strengths and good qualities. She was kind, strong, brave, and deeply caring – a truly remarkable woman who inspired everyone around her."

Competing with a heavy heart after her mother passed away in 2017 at the age of 55, Rahneva slid in her honour by racing around the world with a specially designed helmet that showcased the importance of her mom and family roots.

"My mom and I have always shared the phrase, 'Love you to the moon and back,' so I added a small moon on the right side of my helmet as a tribute to her love and support. On the other side, there’s a breast cancer ribbon, honouring her strength and resilience during her battle with cancer," said Rahneva. “On the chin of my helmet is a Bulgarian rose, a nod to my heritage, and behind the white moose on the forehead is a blue silhouette of the Canadian Rockies. Rose petals flow from the nose toward the back, and amidst it all is a ‘praying warrior,’ a tribute to my mother and the incredible warrior that she was. Her strength and resilience always inspired me, and this symbol reminded me to stay grounded, just as she taught me."

With her mom on the back of her helmet for every step of her rollercoaster journey, the Bulgarian-born Canuck blossomed into one of Canada’s top sliders. She went on to win five World Cup races including a win the last time a World Cup was held on the track she honed her skills on, Calgary, in 2019.

“Sharing podiums with Elisabeth Vathje and raising the Canadian flag at World Cup races in Germany, and here in Calgary before the track was decommissioned are core memories that will always hold a special place in my heart,” she said.

Fittingly, her final trip to the podium came in February 2024 when she took the gold in Sigulda, Latvia.

Her home-away-from-home throughout her illustrious run though may have been in St. Moritz. In addition to her World Championship triumph, two of her victories, along with a third-place finish, came on the oldest track in the world that has played host to the 1928 and 1948 Olympic Winter Games.

"There’s something truly magical about the natural track in St. Moritz. It’s where I’ve felt the most comfort and joy while sliding,” she said. “There’s no such thing as a bad run in Moritz - you’re literally tobogganing from the top of one Swiss town into another, Celerina, weaving through a forest and gliding under a cobblestoned train bridge. It almost sounds like a fairytale when you try to explain it to people.

“St. Moritz is also incredibly special to me because it’s where I won my first World Cup gold. Funny enough, I still have the big bottle of champagne they gave me that day. I’ve been saving it, and I think it’s only fitting to pop it open now in celebration of my career."

Off the track, Rahneva continued to invest her time and energy to guide Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton into a positive new direction. She served on the Board of Directors as an athlete representative and helped mentor newcomers to the National Skeleton Program. She is also currently lending her voice to Own the Podium’s Athlete Advisory Committee – a group that was recently created to ensure the organization considers the perspectives of high-performance athletes, and is able to seek their advice on important decisions and strategic priorities, with the ultimate goal of making sport a more positive and healthier place for all involved.

Rahneva has been equally passionate about her work in the community. She has been involved with charitable organizations like Fast and Female and Classroom Champions, and over the last two years has been bringing her experiences from two Olympics and international competition to KidSport Calgary. Balancing her pursuit of excellence with working as Partnership Development Manager, Rahneva has been relentless in her contributions to breaking down barriers and making sport a more inclusive and welcoming place for all.

“Mirela is a warrior herself. From the beginning of her career, she was always a fighter. Not only in her pursuit of being the best skeleton athlete in the world, but she also cares so much about making sure her sport continues to grow, and that sport in general, is a place for everyone to enjoy – be it at the grassroots or elite level,” said Jesse Lumsden, high-performance director, Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton. “Mirela carried the torch for a long list of incredible Canadian skeleton athletes who she admired, and in doing so, has inspired a whole new generation of athletes to pursue their own Olympic dreams. We are extremely proud of what she has accomplished representing Canada, and our sport organization. We wish her the very best in this next stage of her life and know she will continue to have a positive impact on sport in Canada.”

Looking forward, Rahneva is keen to contribute to sport in a broader sense.

“Sport has played such a pivotal role in my life - not just as an athlete but as a person. It has taught me invaluable lessons and shaped my values, and I’m passionate about giving back to that world in meaningful and impactful ways. Whether it’s through supporting other athletes, promoting access to sport, or helping create environments where people can thrive, I feel inspired to use my experiences to make a positive impact. Sport is so much more than competition - it’s a way to connect, grow, and build a stronger, healthier community, and I’m eager to be part of that on a larger scale,” she said.

“I’ve been so lucky to compete alongside amazing teammates like Elisabeth Vathje, Madison Charney, Jaclyn Laberge, Lanette Prediger and Jane Channell. Skeleton is not an easy sport. It comes with its fair share of challenges, but it has also brought me so much joy, pride, growth and connection into my life. I’m excited to use the lessons I have learned to open new doors for myself and others. Seeing athletes like Hallie Clarke take over is incredibly exciting to watch as I step into this new chapter with gratitude and excitement for what’s ahead.”

Bobsleigh CANADA Skeleton is a non-profit organization and the national governing body for the sports of bobsleigh and skeleton in Canada. With the support of its valued corporate partners – Karbon, Athabasca Oil Corporation in collaboration with Canada Action’s I Love Canada Energy, Joe Rocket and Driving Force – along with the Government of Canada, Own the Podium and the Canadian Olympic Committee, Bobsleigh CANADA Skeleton develops champions in the community, on and off the track, who have a passion for bobsleigh and skeleton. Please visit us at www.bobsleighcanadaskeleton.ca.