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Kristin Armstrong Wins Second Straight Gold Medal In Olympic Time Trial

Kristin Armstrong rides on her way to winning the women's individual time trial at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Alex Livesey
/
Getty Images
Kristin Armstrong rides on her way to winning the women's individual time trial at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Kristin Armstrong has successfully defended her gold medal in the Olympic time trial, winning the race held in Surrey, England. Armstrong finished the 18-mile course in 37:34.82, nearly 16 seconds ahead of Judith Arndt of Germany, who won the silver.

Olga Zabelinskaya of Russia won bronze, seven seconds behind Arndt. American Amber Neben came in sixth, at 38:45.17. Britain's Elizabeth Armitstead, the silver medal winner in the road race, was tenth.

Armstrong was the subject of an Olympic profile by NPR — and she was asked about the difference between riding in the desert of her native Idaho and racing in London, which can be wet.

"If I go in with a mindset that it's going to be a wet, rain day, it's OK," she answered. "I'm from Boise, Idaho. I train here. I have weather, but it always helps me to be strong in my mind, and to know what I'm up against. And then I just move forward."

Armstrong's win came after she retired, started a family, and then returned to racing for this year's Summer Games.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Bill Chappell is a writer and editor on the News Desk in the heart of NPR's newsroom in Washington, D.C.