Clara hughes how many medals

At that time Andrea Auch sister of Susan Auch, two-time Olympic m speed skating silver medallist was working for a cycling association and told officials about Hughes's tremendous potential as a cyclist.

After some deliberation, Hughes decided to leave skating to become an Olympic cyclist. During the s, Hughes established herself as a major force in the world of cycling. She won a silver medal at the World Cycling Championships, and silver and bronze medals at the Pan American Games.

At the Olympic Summer Games in Atlanta, she earned two bronze medals, one in the time trial and one in the most demanding of cycling events, the road race. For most of , Hughes battled retrocalcaneal bursitis, a nagging ankle ailment, and temporarily retired. She resumed her training in January and won gold at the Nationals that year, but struggled a month later at the Pan American Games. Less than a week before the world championships, she was hit by a car while training but still competed and finished seventh in the time trial.

She went on to compete at the Olympic Summer Games in Sydney and placed sixth. After the Olympics, Hughes decided to pursue a speed skating career. Hughes continued to cycle after resuming speed skating, competing in numerous races for her professional team, Saturn, and in she won gold, silver and bronze medals at the Pan American Games.

In , at the age of 38, she announced her comeback to international cycling competition, later qualifying for a spot on the Olympic team destined for the Summer Olympics in London where she participated in the km Women's Road Race. She finished 32nd in a field of 66 competitors, having spent much of the race near or at the front of the peloton on a rain-soaked and crowded course. Hughes also placed an impressive fifth in the road time trial at the Olympics. Hughes returned to her first love, speed skating , in , after a break of 10 years.

After training for only seven weeks, Hughes made the national speed skating team and qualified for three World Cup events in I just wanted to self-destruct. And then came her epiphany. When flicking through the television channels, she came across the speed skating events at the Games in Calgary.

The Quebec-born skater set off at a record-breaking pace, but faded to finish ninth. Seeing somebody hurt themselves so much for something: it was the first time I connected to something positive.

And that afternoon, my life changed. After she started speed skating as a year-old, Hughes was recruited by a cycling coach. She was really strong and fast, especially in road races, and she quickly found herself in the national team, competing in her first Games at the age of 23, in in Atlanta. Twelve days later, she was back on the podium, coming third in the time trial, 0.

But she dragged herself back up and competed at her second Games in Sydney, in She finished 43rd in the road race, and sixth in the time trial. First medal in cycling. The fourth person since A unique feat. One last time at home.

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