During the women’s cycling road individual time trial on Wednesday morning, the 42-year-old’s nose started bleeding profusely. In Kristin Armstrong’s case, it should be called the race of the mind, where the most strong-willed win.
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A day before her 43rd birthday, Armstrong overcame rain, wind, and steep hills to win her third consecutive Olympic gold medal.
Having coming out of retirement twice since winning gold in Beijing 2008 and London 2012, she began the women’s race already seven years older than any competitor in the women’s or men’s races.
Armstrong completed the grueling 29.7-kilometer (18.4-mile) course in 44:26.42. “I’m going to have to explain that one to him a little later”. “It’s up to me?!”
One of the great images from the Rio Olympics.
Armstrong said that inspiration is what pushed her to close in the final stretch of the race and take gold from Russian cyclist Olga Zabelinskaya, who tested positive for octopamine, a banned stimulant, in 2014.
Emma Pooley was Britain’s hope for a medal but that was dashed as she finished in 46.31 and she said that she gave it her all but it was not her day. “I thought, ‘Oh!’ But I had two choices, get nervous, or say I’m the most experienced person out here and just attack it”. Dutch rider Anna van der Breggen, who won the road race on Sunday, rounded out the podium.
Afterwards, 14-time MLB All-Star Barry Bonds, whom Armstrong considers an adviser, praised her for the accomplishment.
The win marks the 10th gold medal for U.S., and came just one day before Armstrong’s 43rd birthday.
“It’s fantastic, I don’t know if it has hit me yet”, she told reporters through tears after hugging her son and holding up a sign that said “USA STRONG”.
“I found one in my coffee cup yesterday, it said: ‘You’re a champion, ‘ ” Armstrong said.
It’s the bane of working moms – that seemingly non-existent quality you strive for yet never really find.
Armstrong, the last rider in a field of 25, dismounted the moment she crossed the line, too exhausted even to celebrate the latest triumph of her decorated career. “And I stopped and he said, ‘You won.’ I said yeah, and he said, ‘So why are you crying?’ Why is it that we cry when we’re overwhelmed with happiness and joy?” Armstrong was asked by the 5-year-old who watched as she powered across the finish to win.
“It’s hard to carry that confidence as an athlete you know two weeks later to Rio and trying to win a third gold medal”, said Armstrong. When she’s not training she has a full time role at St. Luke’s Hospital in Boise, Idaho, where she’s director of community health. And she focused on raising Lucas.
The last gold medal was nearly certainly her toughest.
“I’ve had the hardest journey this Olympics that I’ve ever had”, she said. “I love challenges in life”. “I feel that I need an opener”, she said.
The race was run in treacherous conditions but thankfully there were none of the accidents that marred the road race although former world champion Ellen van Dijk fell into the roadside foliage when riding uphill. She needed a top-three finish in the time trial but came across the line fifth.
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Unlike American swimmer Lily King this week, Armstrong declined to ridicule her opponent. USA time trials champion Carmen Small had called for an arbitration hearing after being left off the team. “It might be a back to normal job”, she said. Just reaching this today means so much to me. “I haven’t experienced this in all of my years”. His interests these days lay in Star Wars.
