Armatrong wins US first cycling gold at Beijing Games
13/8/2008 18:12
Kristin Armstrong awarded the United States its first cycling gold at the
Beijing Olympic Games, wining the women's time trial in Beijing
today.
Armstrong, the 2006 world champion who celebrated her 35th birthday on
Monday, has kept the Olympic time trial in her sight since 2005.
"It's the
ride of my life. It's what I've dreamed about since I was a little kid. I had to
stay focused on the descent and really push," Armstrong said.
In the August
sweltering heat, the American demonstrated his sprinting ability from the
beginning and dashed out in the last 3km to clock a winning time of 34:51.72 for
the title.
"I broke the course into little pieces and worked corner to
corner. All the work I've been doing on the track helped, too. I just broke it
into three-kilometre intervals. I worried about my own race. I wanted to have
everyone else race me," she added.
Emma Pooley of Britain took the silver in
35.16, while the bronze went to Karin Thurig of Switzerland in 35.50
seconds.
After taking bronze in Athens four years ago, Thurig got the chance
to prove herself in Beijing. However, suffering from the heat, the Swisswoman
failed her mission today.
"It was so hard. I suffered from the heat. But I am
happy to win a medal, even it was not a gold," Thurig said.
Longo Ciprelli,
the 49-year old French legend, narrowly missed a career fifth Olympic medal by
taking the fourth place in 35:52.62, less than two seconds off the
podium.
The French veteran is racing in her seventh consecutive Olympic
Games.
Nicole Cooke, who won the road race last week, only finished 15th in
37.14 seconds, while Chinese cyclist Gao Min got the 17th place in 37.15 and her
teammate Meng Lang placed 25th in 40.51.
The women's time trial, which
features a climb and a descent just beneath the Great Wall, begins with the
gradual 12.5km climb up Badaling Pass.
Twenty-five cyclists from sixteen
countries and regions competed in the 23.5km race.
Xinhua
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