HAMPTON COURT, ENGLAND—When it was over and one of Canada’s most-decorated Olympians had finished her final race, Clara Hughes was asked how she wanted to be remembered and how she’d remember her career.
“I just think that I did things usually with a smile,” said the 39-year-old, shortly after finishing fifth in today’s time trial. “I think I could win with a smile and I could lose with a smile as well. I never fail in emptying myself in what I do. I never fail in approaching what I do in the best way so that’s what I’m most satisfied with.
“I really hope that maybe people will remember the way that I did what I did. Not what I did, but the way in which I did it.”
That Hughes way — that push-to-the-limit, pump-till-it-hurts abandon — was very much in evidence here on the 29-kilometre course, starting at King Henry VIII’s former castle and winding narrow streets southwest of London, as Hughes rode hard to the end. She was third at the 9.1-kilometre split and fifth at the 20.4 km split. She finished with a time of 38 minutes and 28 seconds, less than 55 seconds behind winner Kristin Armstrong of the U.S.
“It felt good. Good in the sense that it felt like hell,” said the six-time Olympian. “Because it was a time trial and it was 38 minutes of suffering. But in the sense of what my effort was, I suffered and that means it was a good race. That was everything.”
“It was the best I had. Honestly, I can’t stand here and make any excuses … I was fifth place and that was the best that I had in my legs and in my head and in my heart. … When I look at the placing, I can say I’m disappointed, but when I look at my effort and what I did and what I put into this and my approach, everything that lead up to this point, it was everything. There were just … four people better than me.”
Hughes began her Olympic career as cyclist, winning bronze medals in the road race and time trial at Atlanta in 1996. After the Sydney Games in 2000, she switched to speed skating, where she won four more medals, including a gold at the 2006 Turin Olympics. A podium finish today would have made her Canada’s most decorated Olympian. Her six medals ties her with speedskater Cindy Klassen.
Then, after almost a decade away from cycling, she came back for one last chance to compete in the Olympics.
“I’m just really, really thankful I had the chance to do this one more time, that I was good enough to represent Canada. Unfortunately, it wasn’t good enough to represent Canada on the podium but I can be really proud of what I did,” she said.
Hughes also revealed that during the nationals at Gatineau in May, she fractured a vertebrae in her back in a crash.
“I was racing and training with a broken back for six weeks,” she said.
“I just didn’t want to talk about it. I didn’t want to answer questions about that. I’m happy I had the treatment to help it enough but it was a lot of pain.”
Hughes also paid tribute to long-time Toronto Star amateur sports reporter Randy Starkman, who passed away in April.
“I had him in my heart these whole Olympics. I had a lot of people in my heart these whole Olympics and I was inspired, just like every single time I’ve been inspired by the potential and the chance and the opportunity,” she said.
Hughes said that while she won’t compete in any more Olympics, she will still continue in competitive cycling.
“I just think that I did things usually with a smile,” said the 39-year-old, shortly after finishing fifth in today’s time trial. “I think I could win with a smile and I could lose with a smile as well. I never fail in emptying myself in what I do. I never fail in approaching what I do in the best way so that’s what I’m most satisfied with.
“I really hope that maybe people will remember the way that I did what I did. Not what I did, but the way in which I did it.”
That Hughes way — that push-to-the-limit, pump-till-it-hurts abandon — was very much in evidence here on the 29-kilometre course, starting at King Henry VIII’s former castle and winding narrow streets southwest of London, as Hughes rode hard to the end. She was third at the 9.1-kilometre split and fifth at the 20.4 km split. She finished with a time of 38 minutes and 28 seconds, less than 55 seconds behind winner Kristin Armstrong of the U.S.
“It felt good. Good in the sense that it felt like hell,” said the six-time Olympian. “Because it was a time trial and it was 38 minutes of suffering. But in the sense of what my effort was, I suffered and that means it was a good race. That was everything.”
“It was the best I had. Honestly, I can’t stand here and make any excuses … I was fifth place and that was the best that I had in my legs and in my head and in my heart. … When I look at the placing, I can say I’m disappointed, but when I look at my effort and what I did and what I put into this and my approach, everything that lead up to this point, it was everything. There were just … four people better than me.”
Hughes began her Olympic career as cyclist, winning bronze medals in the road race and time trial at Atlanta in 1996. After the Sydney Games in 2000, she switched to speed skating, where she won four more medals, including a gold at the 2006 Turin Olympics. A podium finish today would have made her Canada’s most decorated Olympian. Her six medals ties her with speedskater Cindy Klassen.
Then, after almost a decade away from cycling, she came back for one last chance to compete in the Olympics.
“I’m just really, really thankful I had the chance to do this one more time, that I was good enough to represent Canada. Unfortunately, it wasn’t good enough to represent Canada on the podium but I can be really proud of what I did,” she said.
Hughes also revealed that during the nationals at Gatineau in May, she fractured a vertebrae in her back in a crash.
“I was racing and training with a broken back for six weeks,” she said.
“I just didn’t want to talk about it. I didn’t want to answer questions about that. I’m happy I had the treatment to help it enough but it was a lot of pain.”
Hughes also paid tribute to long-time Toronto Star amateur sports reporter Randy Starkman, who passed away in April.
“I had him in my heart these whole Olympics. I had a lot of people in my heart these whole Olympics and I was inspired, just like every single time I’ve been inspired by the potential and the chance and the opportunity,” she said.
Hughes said that while she won’t compete in any more Olympics, she will still continue in competitive cycling.
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