‘That was insane’: Aussie Grace Brown blows world away
Australia opened its account on what could be a truly golden day in Paris when Grace Brown rode to victory in the women’s time trial.
Aussie Grace Brown has won gold at the Paris Olympics just months before she will walk into retirement.
Brown’s final roll of the dice at the Games turned into a fairy tale on the Paris streets when she showed her class to handle everything that was thrown at her.
Brown lit up the soggy, slick Paris streets to become Australia’s first ever women’s Olympic cycling gold medallist in the individual time trial. .
The 32-year-old has made history to become our first golden girl of the Games, blowing every other competitor away by 91 seconds.
It is the first time an Aussie woman has stood on the medal podium of a road cycling event since Sara Carrigan in 2004.
The Melburnian tore through the 32km course and then broke down with the emotion of her performance when she crossed the line.
Aussie sprint cycling icon and chef de mission Anna Meares was there to embrace Brown as she crossed the line and it sunk in that she is an Olympic champ.
“I’m just thinking about all the people that have supported me and that have given me the strength to go after it,’’ Brown said, as first reported by News Corp.
“To repay everyone with a gold medal is just awesome.
“Up until this morning, I was feeling quite calm and then as the hours ticked by and the race came closer, 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 exactly as I had planned.
“It was almost the perfect race.’’
Brown announced last month that she’ll retire from pro-cycling at end of 2024. It may be time to re-think that plan.
The performance blew fans around the world away.
Cycling commentator Coreen Mazzochi wrote on Twitter: “Grace Brown that was INSANE”.
Cycling writer Katy Madwick wrote: “Grace Brown absolutely SMASHED that!!! Made up for Anna Henderson what a brilliant result for her too”.
Australian reporter Gareth Davis posted: “Grace Brown, she’s from another planet. Blew ‘em away. What a story”.
Brown went agonisingly close to the bronze medal at the Tokyo Games, but she is on top of the world three years’ later.
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