Jill Kintner knows better than just about anyone how the cycling program at the Summer Olympics can give someone an unexpected opportunity to chase their dreams.
Kintner began racing BMX bikes when she was 7 years old, eventually becoming one of the best in the world at it. She moved on to mountain biking but was lured back to BMX when the sport was added to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, eventually winning a bronze medal for the U.S. team.
"That," she reflected recently, "was my chance to shine."
These days, Kintner is one of the world's best downhill mountain bikers, hurtling herself down rock-strewn trails at breakneck speeds in an adrenaline-pounding version of the sport.