Kristin Faulkner’s Olympic dream became a reality on Thursday as she was nominated for the USA’s track cycling team for Paris. Faulkner, an EF Education-Cannondale rider, just missed an automatic selection for the USA’s Olympic road team by 11 seconds when triathlete Taylor Knibb won the national championship time trial.
The 31-year-old persisted, travelling straight from Charleston, West Virginia, after winning the national championship road race, to USA Cycling’s track cycling camp in Belgium. Here, she impressed the selectors.
“I dreamed of competing in the Olympics ever since I was 8 years old, and I saw it on TV. This is the biggest dream I’ve ever had, and it’s finally come true!” Faulkner said. “I am beyond excited to represent the USA alongside such a strong group of athletes. I will do my best to bring home a medal for Team USA.”
Faulkner joins the more established riders from the 2021 Olympic team pursuit squad: Chloé Dygert, Jen Valente, and Lily Williams, with Olivia Cummins rounding out the fifth spot for the women’s Team Pursuit. Grant Koontz is named as the sole male rider for the track cycling events, with the country only qualifying for one position in the men’s Omnium.
Valente, the 2021 Olympic Omnium champion, returns to defend her title and will also compete in the Madison with Williams. *“I’m excited to officially be named to my third Olympic team,”* Valente said. “The Olympic Games have always been special to me, and this time around is just as captivating. The journey to Paris has been its own unique process with new challenges in this shortened quad. I’m thrilled to be lining up alongside longstanding teammates and some fresh faces.”
Olivia Cummins: youngest member of the team
Cummins, the youngest team member at 20, shared her thoughts: “I still don’t know how to put into words what making this Olympic team means to me. The Olympics were never something I ever thought I would be able to achieve, so it was never a big dream of mine growing up. It was something the famous, professional athletes did, not me. That is, until about a year ago when I found myself in a position where making this team became a possibility.
“I made the Olympics my dream a year ago, I committed fully to it, made sacrifices, and I made it happen. I can’t wait to see this dream through this August in Paris!”
Olympic timeline
The 2024 Olympic Games cycling events kick off on July 27, 2024, with the men’s and women’s individual time trials. Cross Country MTB follows on July 28-29. The men’s and women’s road races take place on August 3-4, while track racing starts on Monday, August 5th and lasts through the final day of the Games on August 11st.
