I am thrilled that Olympian athlete Jill Kintner, whom I met this past spring, won a bronze medal in BMX bike racing this week in Beijing. Jill was the only women selected from the U.S. to compete in BMX in China. She captured third place with an amazing performance. I feel fortunate that I had the opportunity to take a mountain bike clinic with her at Sea Otter Classic 2008.
For more about Jill, visit her Team GT website.
Excerpt from GT Bicycles press release:
Seattle's Jill Kintner earned the well-deserved bronze medal honors with her third place finish. After blazing her way through three rounds of competition, Jill had to battle seven of the world's top riders, including Anne-Caroline Chausson and Laetitia le Courguille of France to take home a medal. Jill also rode a GT Power Series Ultra Box with custom Team USA graphics. In a particularly hard-fought race punctuated by three different crashes, including one that took out powerful British rider Shanaze Reade, Jill maintained her composure, avoided the wreckage, and pedaled through it to the bronze.
"It was like the seas had parted and there it is - go!" said Kintner.
Mike Day (who won a silver medal in the men's BMX), Donny Robinson, who won bronze and Jill's places on the podium are especially noteworthy since this was the first time BMX Race has been included as an Olympic sport.
2008 U.S. Olympic Games
Beijing, China
Aug. 8-24
Men's BMX results
1. Maris Strombergs (LAT)
2. Mike Day (Santa Clarita, Calif.)
3. Donny Robinson (Napa, Calif.)
Women's BMX results
1. Ann-Caroline Chausson (FRA)
2. Laetitia Le Corguille (FRA)
3. Jill Kintner (Seattle, Wash.)
I watched the BMX finals and it was really exciting. However there were some thoughts racing through my mind along with the riders on the course.
ReplyDeleteNumber was, this is not an Olympic sport. This is an X-Games sport. If BMX is in, when is Street Luge and Vert ramp going to be in? Never. BMX is cool. X-Games cool, but it doesn't really belong in the Olympics. (hey, you kids, get off my lawn).
Number Two was how the hell did some dude from Latvia beat two Californians? How does that happen? What is going on in Latvia that I don't know about? That Lativa, which is about the size of Rhode Island can produce any Olympians at all is impressive. That they can produce a gold medal-winning california-beating athlete is really amazing. Good for him and great for them. I'm still befuddled by whole thing.