Cyclist Grace Brown wins Australia’s first 2024 Olympic gold with victory in the time trial

Australia has its first gold medalist of the 2024 Paris Olympics with time trialist Grace Brown riding to victory in a devastating performance.

Almost forgotten amid the tears and the complete destruction of her rivals was the fact Grace Brown only took up cycling nine-years ago.

Australia’s first gold medalist of the Paris 2024 games will wake up still pinching herself that she’s an Olympic champion.

The fact that she did it on a bike — by roaring to victory in the 32.4km women’s time trial — and not on an athletics track, is even more extraordinary.

A talented cross-country runner, Brown, 32, just couldn’t stay on her feet, hampered by leg injuries and stress fractures that plagued her ambition.

Australia's Grace Brown shows off Australia’s first gold of the Games. Picture: Anne-Christine Poujoulat / AFP

Grace Brown on her way to gold at the Olympics (Photo by Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP)

“When I was running I had this feeling that if I really nailed everything that maybe I could get onto an Olympic team, but I kept getting injured,’’ Brown said. “I stopped running at 23 and I started cycling just out of frustration with my injuries.’’

Asked how her early interaction with race riding went, Brown laughed: “It just went really well.’’

Saturday on the cobblestone streets of Paris proved that.

On a day that Brown etched her name alongside childhood heroes Susie O’Neill and Cathy Freeman, the Olympic champion created history by securing Australia’s first medal in road cycling since Sara Carrigan in 2004.

Grace Brown dominated the women’s time trial. Picture: Dimitar Dilkoff / AFP

Brown is also the first Australian woman to win gold in cycling since Anna Meares in 2012.

In raining and precarious conditions which saw several riders crash, Brown rode the race of her life to crush the field, winning by more than 90-seconds to her nearest rival.

“The margin is a bit insane to be honest. Especially since the last two world championships ive come second by five and twelve seconds,’’ Brown said.

Having announced her plan to retire at the end of this year before the games, the outstanding rider couldn’t contain her joy at securing an Olympic medal having narrowly missed the podium in her Olympic debut in Tokyo when finishing 4th.

Fittingly, Meares, Australia’s chef de mission and one of the country’s greatest cyclists of all-time was at the finish line to congratulate an elated Brown. Brown said she was struggling to comprehend the notion of being spoken in the same breath as her heroes.

Australian cyclist Grace Brown embraces her husband Elliott Smith after winning the individual time trial at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“Susie O’Neill and Cathy Freeman have been legends in my mind and they’ve been two athletes that I’ve always held up high,’’ Brown said. “To be a gold medallist like them is insane.

“It’s hard to think that people will be viewing little old me like that.’’

Teeth gritted Grace Brown rides to gold. Picture: Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP

Gold medalist Grace Brown of Team Australia (C), Silver medalist Anna Henderson of Team Great Britain (L) and Bronze medalist Chloe Dygert of Team United States (R) take a selfie on the podium. Picture: Tim de Waele/Getty Images

Brown said a major factor in her victory was mentally blocking out the vision of standing on top of the podium after the race.

“Up until this morning, I was feeling quite calm and then as the hours ticked by, the nerves and the adrenaline builds up until you’re on the start line.

“You have doubts in your head. I was waiting for the race, not knowing if it’s going to be a shocker, then when I’m in the race I find my zone. I was able to execute everything as I had planned. It was almost the perfect race.’’