Grace Brown wins Australia’s first gold medal in road cycling time trial

She finished with an impressive 91-second lead over the rest, with Britain’s Anna Henderson taking silver and pre-race favourite Chloe Dygert taking bronze; the Australian had driven a perfect race.

“I really think I ran the perfect race,” she told Today.

“I’m still coming to terms with it. It’s so surreal. It’s something I dreamed about but now it’s real.

“I knew I was capable of competing for a gold medal, but I think every athlete has doubts until the moment they start. You don’t know how you’re going to feel that day.

“I had a plan to pace the race to win gold and I was able to execute my plan almost perfectly, if not better.

“In cycling we talk about whether you have legs or not. Today, luckily, they came and got me to the finish line pretty quickly.

“I couldn’t ask for a better day. It’s raining, but it doesn’t really discourage me.”

Despite the win, Brown said he has no plans to reverse his decision to retire at the end of the season.

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“No, I just feel very proud of everything I’ve done,” she said.

‘I’m getting a bit older. I’m already 32, so I think four more years might be too much.

“I’m looking forward to returning to Australia. I’ll be able to finish my career very satisfied.”

Looking at the track, his parents were more than satisfied.

“All our dreams are coming true… it’s just beautiful,” dad Tony told Nine.

“It’s beautiful,” added mother Ruth.

“We are delighted… how good. He has worked very hard. What dedication!”

Back home in Australia, it was brother Nathan who praised his Olympic champion sister.

“I stopped being jealous of her when I was 12,” he said.

“She competed in the national cross country championships… she’s on a completely different level. She’s an absolute athlete.

“I’m absolutely amazed by what my sister can do. It’s incredible.”

But he had a warning for Parisians as Brown and his family prepare to celebrate his gold medal.

“We’ve all seen a lot of tumult in Paris over the last ten years… but this will take it to the next level,” he said.

On track, the rain that soaked Saturday’s opening ceremony (AEST) caused havoc as several drivers hit the tarmac on the 32.4km circuit.

First it was Denmark’s Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig who slipped off her bike, before group leader Taylor Knibb fell exiting the same corner, and then again just a minute later.

The American’s troubles continued when her mechanic also fell on the slippery surface while trying to bring her a replacement bike.

They were the first two victims of bad weather, but not the last.

Belgium’s Lotte Kopecky crashed after setting a strong early time and eventual bronze medallist Dygert followed suit just before the 22km checkpoint.

That almost certainly cost him silver, having finished less than a second behind Henderson.

But for Brown, the rain was no concern, and the only snag to her race came right at the start, when she got stuck in the blocks and lost precious seconds.

“The rain doesn’t bother me much,” he said.

“It was a really tricky day on the slippery roads of Paris. It’s never fun in the rain.

“There are many more risks to take, but I am happy to be able to travel the route safely.

“I was still feeling pretty confident in my approach, but I was definitely taking the corners a lot slower than earlier in the week when I tested the circuit in dry conditions. Although the trainers in the car behind me might not agree that I was being cautious.

“I didn’t really know how many other athletes were falling along the way.

“Just thinking about when I was a kid, the legends of the sport, the gold medalists… to think that my name is on that list now is really crazy.

“I’m very excited. It’s a bit surreal.”