Kristin Armstrong facts for kids
Winning the 2012 Olympics time trial (age 38).
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kristin Armstrong Savola | ||
| Born | August 11, 1973 Memphis, Tennessee, United States |
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| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||
| Weight | 128 lb (58 kg) | ||
| Team information | |||
| Current team | Retired | ||
| Discipline | Road | ||
| Role | Ride | ||
| Rider type | All-rounder | ||
| Major wins | |||
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Kristin Armstrong Savola (born August 11, 1973) is an amazing American athlete. She used to be a professional road bicycle racer. Kristin is famous for winning three gold medals at the Olympics. She won the women's individual time trial in 2008, 2012, and 2016. This makes her one of the most successful cyclists ever!
Before she retired for a short time in 2009 to start a family, she rode for the Cervélo TestTeam. She competed in big races like the National Racing Calendar (NRC) and the UCI Women's World Cup. In 2011, she decided to return to cycling. She joined the Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY12 team.
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Kristin's Early Life and Sports Journey
Kristin Armstrong was born in Memphis, Tennessee. Her father was an officer in the US Marines. Because of his job, Kristin lived in different places. She lived in Tennessee and California. She also went to high school in Havelock, North Carolina. Later, she lived abroad in Okinawa, Japan, where she finished high school in 1991.
From Swimming to Cycling
Before becoming a professional cyclist, Kristin was a talented athlete in other sports.
- She was a junior Olympian in swimming.
- In college, she was a distance runner.
- After college, she became a triathlete. This sport combines swimming, cycling, and running.
In 2001, when she was 27, doctors told her she had osteoarthritis in her hips. This meant she couldn't run at a high level anymore. So, she stopped her triathlon career. This led her to focus only on cycling, which became her main sport.
Kristin's Olympic Success
Kristin Armstrong is best known for her incredible achievements at the Olympic Games.
First Olympic Appearance (2004)
Kristin first competed in the Olympics in 2004 in Athens, Greece. She finished 8th in the women's road race. This made her the top U.S. finisher in that event.
Winning Gold in Beijing (2008)
At the 2008 Summer Olympics in China, Kristin achieved her biggest dream. She won the gold medal in the women's road time trial. She finished the race in under 35 minutes. She was 25 seconds faster than the silver medalist, Emma Pooley from Great Britain.
Defending Her Title in London (2012)
After a short break to have her son, Kristin returned to cycling. She wanted to compete in the 2012 London Olympics. She successfully defended her Olympic title in the individual time trial. This made her the oldest rider to win an Olympic time trial at that time. She announced her retirement again after the 2012 Olympics.
Making History in Rio (2016)
In 2015, Kristin decided to come out of retirement one more time. She wanted to compete in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. She made history by winning her third gold medal in the women's individual time trial. This made her the first cyclist ever to win three gold medals in the same event. She also became the oldest female cyclist to win an Olympic medal.
Life After Professional Cycling
After her amazing cycling career, Kristin continued to be involved in sports.
In September 2017, she joined USA Cycling. She became the Endurance Performance Director. This role helps guide and improve the performance of other cyclists.
In December 2019, Kristin also started her own business. She created a line of bike computer mounts called KX3 Sports.
Kristin's Personal Life
Kristin Armstrong lives in Boise, Idaho. She is married to Joe Savola. They have a son named Lucas William Savola, who was born on September 15, 2010.
Many people sometimes confuse Kristin Armstrong with Lance Armstrong's ex-wife, who is also named Kristin. However, Kristin Armstrong the cyclist and Lance Armstrong are not related to each other.
See also
In Spanish: Kristin Armstrong para niños
