MOUNTAIN Biker TAKES OLYMPIC WOMEN BMX
usacycling.org
Beijing, China
On Friday, the United States won three more medals in cycling when Donny Robinson (Napa CA), Mike Day (Santa Clarita CA) and Jill Kintner(Seattle WA) were the first to reach the podium in the new Olympic sport of Bicycle Motocross.
Day and Robinson were awarded the bronze and silver medals in the men’s competition, respectively. Kintner was awarded a bronze in women’s racing. They brought the U.S.’s total medal count in cycling events up to five, the most since the 1984 Los Angeles Games.
American performance means that the U.S. team will take home half the BMX medals up for grabs Friday. Multiple medals were also won by France as Ann-Caroline Chausson, a downhill mountain bike legend, and Laetitia La Corguille, a compatriot, claimed silver and gold respectively. Kintner was not far behind.
American cyclists have won the most medals since Team France in Los Angeles, with nine.
Kintner said Kintner: First American woman in the first ever event, first medal. It’s a privilege to be able to represent it and take part in it. It’s huge for American BMX, Mikey, Donny and I. This will give our program a huge boost. This puts us back on the map.
The fourth competitor from the United States was Kyle Bennett (Conroe Texas), who made it to the semifinals despite having a dislocated shoulder after a quarterfinal crash. Bennett, who was still in contention for the finals, finished sixth in his semifinal bracket.
Kintner was faced with a strong field of women’s competitors that included Shanaze Reade, Sarah Walker (NZl), Gabriella Diz (Arg), Nicole Callisto and Sammy Cools. Kintner rode a solid final but was careful not to get in trouble when it really mattered. Kintner maintained her position on the podium despite a slow start.
Kintner explained that people were desperate for money so he waited. I waited, and I avoided all the problems.
After Kristin Armstrong (Boise ID) won gold at the women’s individual time trial, and Levi Leipheimer(Santa Rosa CA) took bronze), the medal count for BMXers rose to five.
Although BMX racing was invented almost 40 years ago, it has only recently reached its peak, being exposed to a worldwide audience on the sports biggest stage.
The 2008 Olympic Games cycling events conclude Saturday with both the women’s and men’s cross-country mountain bike events set to be contested. Georgia Gould (Fort Collins CO) and Mary McConneloug(Chilmark MA) will compete in the women’s event. Todd Wells (Durango CO) and Adam Craig (Bend OR) will be competing for the men.
OLYMPIC BMX RESULTS
1. Maris Strombergs (Lat).
2. Mike Day
3. Donny Robinson
WOMEN
1. Ann-Caroline Chausson (Fra)
2. Laetitia Le Corguille (Fra)
3. Jill Kintner
