MCFARLAND, Wis. — McFarland native and two-time Winter Olympian Nina Roth has stepped back from elite competition to focus on motherhood and nursing, but she hasn't ruled out another Olympic run.
The Madison Curling Club has produced more than a dozen Olympians and Paralympians over the years, and Nina Roth stands among its most accomplished athletes. The McFarland native represented Team USA in curling at both the 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics, serving as skip in her first Games and vice in her second.
WATCH: TMJ4'S Ashley Washburn learns curling from two-time Olympian Nina Roth.
But after Beijing in 2022, Roth made a difficult decision that many elite athletes face: choosing family over competition.
"It was becoming a lot on my family. I already had a son at that point. I knew I wanted to add to our family, which we did," Roth said. "So I knew that I wanted to focus on being a mom and focus on my job of being a nurse and just being at home a little bit more."
Roth works as a nursing supervisor at Select Speciality Hospital, a critical illness recovery hospital where patients typically stay for around 30 days in a step-down unit. Her medical career provides perspective on her athletic achievements.
"Being a nurse definitely helps put life and sports into perspective. Curling really is just a game. It's high stakes once you make it to the Olympics. But in the grand scheme of things, you know, when it comes to comparing that to taking care of a person's life, it's really not comparable," Roth said.
The sport has been central to Roth's life since she was ten, inspired by her father to take up curling. She spent more than 20 years honing her skills before making her first Olympic team, looking up to Madison Curling Club Olympians such as Lori Mountford, Erika Brown, Debbie McCormick, and Lisa Schoeneberg.
"Representing Team USA is always an amazing feeling. It's such an honor. We have such an amazing country, and it just feels great to wear the American flag on your back and to also share in that with other sports and other athletes who have been dreaming to get to this point is just a really special celebration," Roth said.
Her Olympic legacy continues to inspire her young son, who chose to dress up as an Olympian for sports day at his kindergarten.
"I sent him with one of my Olympic pins and, you know, he didn't get to watch me go to the Olympics. But he still understands how special it was to his mom, and it's special to him, too," Roth said.
While Roth announced her step back from elite curling after the 2022 Olympics, she continues competing with her husband in mixed doubles events.
"Right now I play with my husband. Our dream this year is to make it to the national championship and then win the national championship there and get to represent at the worlds," Roth said.
As for another Olympic bid, Roth isn't closing the door entirely.
"Finding little ways to be competitive without the same kind of time commitments I was adhering to before is where I'm at right now. Never say never, though," Roth smiled.
The longevity of curling as a sport means Roth has plenty of time to decide her competitive future.
"The great thing about curling is you can play the game forever. There's eight-year-olds, and then there's eighty-year-olds still curling. So I've got a long career, a lifelong love of the sport," Roth said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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