Biography
- Stats
- Height: 5' 8"
- Weight: 128 lb.
- Hair: Blonde
- Eye: Green
- Hobbies: Skiing, Cooking, Eating
With a name like Armstrong, it's hard not to be noticed in the sport of road cycling and sports worldwide. And, like Lance, Kristin Armstrong has the goods that go along with the name, including a World Championship title, one of the highest achievements in the sport of cycling. In August 2008, she did one better than Lance, grabbing an Olympic gold in the road cycling individual time trial.
Kristin Armstrong covered the course in a blistering 34 minutes, 51.72 seconds, more than 24 seconds faster than silver medalist Emma Pooley of Britain. Karin Thurig of Switzerland won the bronze medal with a 35:50.99, almost a full minute off Armstrong's pace.
"It's one of those dreams you have as a child in America," Armstrong said.
"It's the most amazing day of my life," she said. "I've been working for this for the last eight years, especially the last four, and to time everything right on one day is an accomplishment of its own."
Born in 1973 into a military family of four, Armstrong spent her early childhood in Tennessee, California and attended high school in Japan. By the time she was 17, she had become a Junior Olympian in swimming. She excelled as a triathlete and even competed in the Hawaii Ironman World Championships. As a professional triathlete, she was diagnosed with osteoarthritis. Running was out of the question, but cycling was considered her best therapy. Within a short time, a relatively inexperienced cyclist became an Olympian and World Champion. She has become one of the most accomplished American cyclists of all time.
Armstrong currently makes her home in Boise, Idaho with her husband, Joe Savola. Between her athletic career highlights spanning two decades and several sports, she also managed to succeed as a college graduate and a project manager at an ad agency. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in sports physiology from the University of Idaho. Always one to give back to the sports that have given her such success, she is a dedicated swimming instructor and coach. She serves as an ambassador to the YMCA of Boise, and tries to provide support and inspiration to the millions of Americans who suffer from arthritis.