Grace Brown has dominated the women’s individual time trial to win Australia’s first gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
The 32-year-old, who will retire at the end of this season, clocked a time of 39 minutes and 38.24 seconds on the 32.4km course in the heart of Paris.
American Chloe Dygert finished third with a time of 1:31.59.
Brown is Australia’s first gold medallist in road cycling since Sara Carrigan won the women’s road race at the 2004 Olympics.
The podium finish is also a first for Australia at this year’s Olympics and puts the country in second place in the medal table, behind China.
Brown had finished just outside the top three in the women’s time trial in Tokyo and said before these Olympics that missing out on another medal would be a disappointment.
Despite rainy conditions that led to some crashes affecting other riders, Brown said he rode a nearly flawless race.
“I really think I did it,” he told Channel Nine.
“I had a plan to pace the race and win gold and I was able to execute it perfectly, if not better. You couldn’t ask for a better day. It’s raining, but it’s not really putting me in a bad mood.”
Brown confirmed he had no intention of reversing his decision to retire, despite the victory.
“I feel very proud of everything I have done,” she said. “I know that I came here, I gave it my all and that it was worth it. And I can finish my career very satisfied.”
Grace Brown won gold for Australia on the first day of the Paris Olympics
She held a huge lead of 1:31.59 over silver medallist British rider Anna Henderson.
