Haley Batten saw her Olympic dream realized as she cycled to a silver medal in the Women’s Cross-country Mountain Bike event.
Haley, 25, from Fort Collins, Colorado, finished a miserable 9th and out of the podium places at the 2020 Olympics in Japan.
But she overcame a flat tire and a broken wheel and intense competition to achieve her much coveted medal in France.
She said: ‘I’ve visualized finishing with the medal around my neck for a long time, so I knew I would feel special but I can’t explain how amazing that is.’
‘I knew before Tokyo, that this was the race I was focusing on. I’ve known for a long time that I could be good here and Tokyo was… I wanted to be on the podium there, but I wasn’t quite ready to be honest.
Pauline Ferrand Prevot, of France, centre, winner of the women’s mountain bike cycling event, shows her gold medal flanked by silver medallist Haley Batten, of United States, left, and bronze medallist Jenny Rissveds, of Sweden
US’ Haley Batten celebrates taking second place (silver medal) in the women’s cross-country
Batten competes in the women’s cross-country mountain biking event on Sunday in France
‘ I prepared much better to be the best I’ve ever been. For me, preparation has been in the details, studying and building every single year just one step at time. It takes time, you can’t rush it.’
Pauline Prevot of France took the gold and Jenny Rissveds secured the bronze.
She said of Prevot: ‘She’s been waiting this for a long time. She’s been to many Olympic Games and it hasn’t come together, so I’m very happy for her, in her home country. ‘
She added laughing: ‘Next Olympics it’s mine so… Yeah I’m happy for her.’
She said of her battle with Rissveds: ‘Me and Jenny have been racing together at every single race so, she made me a better athlete.
‘When we were together in these last few laps, I knew it would be very hard to be there, and I put my whole heart into this race. I had something special inside of me today.
‘ My legs never hurt for some reason. I flattened my tire and broke my wheel, but luckily I was able to ride with it the whole way. The mechanic is amazing, that was the fastest wheel change.
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