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She turned 43 today, making her one of the oldest athletes in Rio. But that didn’t stop Kirstin Armstrong from taking out the gold in the cycling individual time trial yesterday.
And the photo taken of Armstrong embracing her five-year-old son has become emblematic of the Olympic spirit.
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US cyclist Armstrong suffered a nosebleed during the race, and after she crossed the finishing line, she looked around to ask: “Did I win?”
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Upon confirmation that she had taken out gold – her third Olympic gold medal – she collapsed on the ground. After being checked by paramedics, Armstrong looked up to see her young son.
Later, she told National Public Radio that she hoped her win would be an inspiration for other mothers.
“I think that for so long we’ve been told that we should be finished at a certain age. And I think that there’s a lot of athletes out there that are actually showing that that’s not true.
“For all the moms out there, I hope that this was a very inspiring day.”
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