LONG NECK, Del. - Supporters packed The Crab Barn early Friday morning for a watch party cheering on Olympic skeleton athlete Mystique Ro as she competed on the world stage.
The event began just after 10 a.m., with the restaurant filled wall to wall as Ro’s mother and community members gathered to watch her Olympic run. Ro competes in skeleton, a solo sliding sport that sends athletes headfirst down an ice track at speeds approaching 80 miles per hour. Competitors steer the small sled using subtle movements of their shoulders and knees, with races often decided by fractions of a second.
Supporters packed The Crab Barn early Friday morning for a watch party cheering on Olympic skeleton athlete Mystique Ro as she competed on the world stage.
Her mother, Nicole Ro, said watching her daughter reach the Olympics has been an emotional experience.
“It’s awesome. I mean, this is crazy. It’s absolutely wonderful,” Nicole Ro said. “I feel so honored and privileged to be her mom, just to see her live out her dreams and never give up.”
She said perseverance has defined her daughter’s journey, particularly when challenges arose. “When things are against you, to never give up and just keep persevering and working hard,” she said.
The event began just after 10 a.m., with the restaurant filled wall to wall as Ro’s mother and community members gathered to watch her Olympic run.
Nicole Ro also spoke about the personal loss her daughter has carried throughout her athletic career the death of her brother saying his influence remains a driving force.
“She got over the loss of her brother. He’s with her always,” she said. “She talks about him, she remembers him, and she’s doing it because he always pushed her to do the best that she could do.”
She said her daughter’s Olympic pursuit is both a lifelong goal and a tribute. “She’s living out her dream in remembrance of him,” Nicole Ro said. “She’s a wonderful person, and I love her.”
At 31 years old, Mystique Ro brings both experience and hometown pride to the Olympic skeleton start list. She grew up in Nokesville, Virginia, before making her way onto the world stage and now lives in Lake Placid, New York as she competes for Team USA at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.