US cyclist wins third straight Olympic gold

IANS

Rio de Janeiro, Aug 10 (IANS) US cyclist Kristin Armstrong overcame rain and fierce competition here on Wednesday to win her third consecutive Olympic gold medal in the women's individual time trial.

A day before turning 43, the American completed the course in 44 minutes, 26.42 seconds, just 5.55 seconds faster than the silver medallist, Russia's Olga Zabelinskaya, reports Efe.

The bronze medal went to Dutch cyclist Anna van der Breggen, who took the gold on Sunday in the women's road race.

Armstrong, who won the individual time trial at the 2008 Beijing Games and the 2012 Olympics in London, is also a two-time world champion.

Zabelinskaya, the bronze medallist four years ago in London, recently returned to competition after an 18-month suspension for using a banned stimulant in 2014.

--IANS

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