Mia Manganello races to bronze in women's mass start final; mia manganello wins first individual Olympic medal
In Milan, mia manganello took bronze in the women's mass start on Saturday, winning her first individual Olympic medal in the final race of her Olympic career. The result capped a long, stop-start journey that already included a 2018 team-pursuit bronze in Pyeongchang.
Final order decided in a three-woman sprint with Groenewoud, Blondin and Mia Manganello
Marijke Groenewoud of the Netherlands took gold in the women's mass start, with Canada's Ivanie Blondin second and Mia Manganello third. Groenewoud finished in 8: 34. 70, Blondin in 8: 35. 09 and Manganello in 8: 35. 39. Blondin caught Manganello late and beat the American to the line by 0. 30 seconds.
Packed 16-lap race broke open on the bell lap
For most of the 16-lap race, where 16 racers are on the ice at the same time, the pack remained intact, unlike in the men's race moments earlier. It wasn't until the bell lap that the race really began: Groenewoud and Manganello were first to sprint out, followed tightly by Blondin, turning the finish into a head-to-head sprint among the three.
From inline skates to the podium: Manganello's unusual path
Manganello is one of the handful of U. S. speedskaters who got their start in inline skating before moving to the ice. After coming up short of qualifying for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, she hung up her skates, hopped on a bike and became a professional cyclist. In 2016 she returned to the skates and qualified for the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang, where she took bronze in team pursuit. Four years ago in Beijing she took fourth in the mass start, missing the podium by a little more than a second. On Saturday the 36-year-old won her first individual medal and, sixteen years after her first Olympic attempt ended before she ever got there, she left with a second bronze on her way out.
Moments at the line and emotional aftermath
After crossing the finish line, Manganello raised her arms in triumph. She spoke about what the medal meant to her and those closest to her: "It means everything. It means a journey for my parents, sacrificing everything, my loved ones, relationships, friends, coaches, teammates. This is the ultimate goal. Any color, honestly. "
Relief and disbelief after a long second-chance career
Reflecting on the finish, Manganello described a rush of emotion: "Did you see me cross the line? I screamed so loud. I started bawling; there was no other emotion but disbelief. It's the most surreal moment of my life. It's something that I envisioned every single day since I've been here. It seemed so far-fetched. We discussed impostor syndrome a bit (before), not quite believing that I could be there. So to cross the line was a little bit of disbelief, even on the back stretch when I was in second, thinking to myself, 'Hold it together, hold it together'. To cross the line, the emotion just escaped me. "
The medal completes a final Olympic chapter for Manganello, whose return to the ice after a professional cycling stint produced both team and individual hardware and a memorable finish in Milan's chaotic mass start.
