Grace Brown Shines with Gold at the Olympics

Grace Brown has made waves at the Olympics by snagging Australia‘s first gold medal in the women’s individual time trial, which took place on the rainy streets of Paris.

At 32 years old, Brown, who used to be a runner, showcased her talent with a stunning performance. Growing up in Camperdown, Victoria, she completed the 32.4-kilometer course in just 39 minutes 38 seconds, leaving her competitors far behind.

Brown had previously announced her retirement plans at the end of the season, which makes this victory even more special for her and her family. Her parents, Ruth and Tony, were watching from the sidelines and couldn’t contain their excitement as Ruth said, “This is how she’s going out,” highlighting the hard work and resilience Brown has shown throughout her career.

This gold medal marks Australia’s first win in road cycling since the 2004 Athens Olympics, and it truly was a spectacular achievement. Brown’s performance was head and shoulders above the rest, finishing a massive one minute and 31 seconds ahead of silver medallist Anna Henderson from Great Britain and Chloé Dygert from the US, who took home the bronze.

After crossing the finish line, Brown shared her thoughts on the race, stating, “I really think I did have the perfect race. I was able to execute my plan pretty much to perfection.” Despite the rain making the course slippery and causing mishaps for other riders, she maintained her composure and focus.

During the race, some other cyclists faced tough conditions, with defending champion Dygert falling on a corner, which affected her chances of winning. But Brown pushed through and met her own high expectations for this dream-like day.

Even with her retirement plans set, Brown expressed her pride in her accomplishments and confirmed she won’t be changing her mind about stepping away from the sport. “I know that I’ve come here and given it everything, and it’s paid off,” she remarked, thrilled with her performance.