August 07, 2024
Alumna paves the road to gold
Cyclist Kristen Faulkner ’11 wins in dramatic fashionby Nancy Hitchcock
Kristen Faulkner ’11, who left a venture capital career and started cycling professionally just three years ago, has now won two gold medals for the USA Cycling team in Paris. She won the gold medal in the women’s road race August 4, becoming the first American to win a medal in this event in 40 years. And on Wednesday, August 7, Faulkner helped bring the United States its first gold in the women’s team pursuit.
“I feel like it’s a dream come true,” Faulkner said after winning the road race. “I took a really big risk a few years ago to come to pursue my dream and I made it happen. It's the best feeling in the world.”
In the women’s road race, after riding for nearly four hours on the 98.2-mile course that started and ended in Paris, Faulkner made a dramatic break from the lead pack, crossing the Seine and then the finish line 58 seconds ahead of the competition—Marianne Vos of the Netherlands won silver and Lotte Kopecky of Belgium took the bronze.
Big Blue in Paris: Faulkner ’11 met up with her former Swimming Coach Paul Murphy ’84 P’16, ’19, ’22, and wife Debby ’86, before her historic ride.
In her Olympic debut, the 31-year-old Homer, Alaska, native initially qualified to compete in track cycling’s team pursuit. She was named as a replacement on the road cycling team just one month ago.
While cycling is a relatively new venture for Faulkner, she is no stranger to athletic excellence. At PA Faulkner balanced three varsity sports—rowing, swimming, and running. She then rowed for two years at Harvard before graduating in 2016. While working as a venture capital investor, she started cycling and, in 2021, made the bold decision to focus on racing professionally, which she describes as “living the dream.”
Watch
Ahead of her Gold Medal performance, Kristen Faulkner ’11 sat down with NBC News Correspondent Stephanie Gosk ’90 to discuss her unusual path to the Olympics.
Andovers Olympians
- Kristen Faulkner ’11 | 2024 | Cycling | Gold Medalist
- Olivia Coffey ’07 | 2024 | Rowing
- Djenabou Jolie Bah ’28 | 2024 | Swimming
- Tim Wynter ’14 | 2016 | Swimming
- Andrew Wilson ’12 | 2020/1 | Swimming
- Caroline Lind ’02 | 2008, 2012 | Rowing | Two-Time Gold Medalist
- Hee-Jin Chang ’05 | 2000, 2008 | Swimming
- Julia Trotman Brady ’85 | 1992 | Sailing | Bronze Medalist
- Jim Herberich ’81 | 1988, 1994, 1998 | Bobsled
- David Silk ’76 | 1980 | Hockey | Gold Medalist
- Hope Barnes ’76 | 1980 | Rowing
- Jim McLane ’49 | 1948 | Swimming | Two-Time Gold, and Silver Medalist
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