Lizzie Armitstead and Rebecca Adlington win Team GB’s first medals

12 years ago | Posted in: olympics | 469 Views

Cyclist Lizzie Armitstead got Britain’s medal hunt under way in the rain as she claimed silver in a thrilling women’s road race.

She was pipped to gold by inches on The Mall as cheering fans packed central London despite a torrential downpour.

Her medal will ease some of the anxieties among Team GB supporters – and maybe within the camp – after a second successive day of contrasting fortunes.

Wind and rain swept the 140km (87 miles) cycle through Surrey and London but, after breaking away from the pack at Box Hill, 23-year-old Armitstead always looked on for a medal.

She finished in a time of 3:35:29 – narrowly losing out to the Netherlands’ Marianne Vos.

‘Winning this medal in front of my family and friends is the most special thing I’ve ever experienced in my life,’ said Armitstead, from Otley in West Yorkshire. ‘It’s so crazy and so inspiring.’

And Britain’s medal haul doubled later when 23-year-old Rebecca Adlington won a bronze in the women’s 400m freestyle.

The double Beijing gold medal winner was roared on by the crowd at the aquatic centre and, despite being drawn in lane eight, produced a fighting performance.

A teary Adlington said: ‘I’m crying because it’s so overwhelming. Twelve years of hard work has gone into that and it’s hard, it was so hard. It’s always the 400m that feels tougher than the 800m. I’m so glad I got a medal at a home Games – not many people can say that.’

And the women’s artistic gymnastics team – led by 27-year-old Beth Tweddle – qualified for their final on Tuesday.

Metro columnist Tweddle performed to Paul McCartney’s Live And Let Die.

 

 

 

 

ref: http://www.metro.co.uk

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