Lance Armstrong Biography
Lance Armstrong will always be a role model for many people, especially those who are into sports. He achieved something so unbelievable when he made a comeback from testicular cancer. It was a feat unmatched, which even overshadows his wins at the Tour de France. |
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He was born to Linda, a single mother, on 18 September 1971 in Plano, Texas. He was brought up in the suburbs of Dallas, and from a young age displayed his athletic inclination. By the time he was ten years old, Lance was swimming and running; and taking part in cycling and triathlon competitions by the time he was 13 years old. This was really amazing, considering that a triathlon consists of swimming for a thousand meters, cycling for 15 miles and then running for three miles. By the time Lance was 16 years old, he was a professional athlete taking part in triathlon competitions. He was the national champion for the sprint course of the triathlon in the years 1989 and 1990.
However, Lance decided to concentrate on cycling, as he was extremely good at it and it was his favorite sport. While he was doing his senior year in high school, he received an invitation from the US Olympic Development team to train in Colorado Springs. So, he left school to begin training. However, he took private classes and earned his high school diploma in the year 1989. In 1990 summer, Lance had managed to qualify for the junior world team and came in the eleventh position at the World Championship Road Race. His timing was the best among all Americans since the year 1976. Also, in 1990, he ended up becoming the US national amateur champion, and beat many professionals to win major races, namely The Thrift Drug Classic and the First Union Grand Prix.
The following year, in 1991, Lance took part in Tour DuPont, which saw him complete the 12 stages and 1,085 miles in 11 days. While he did not come in the first few competitors, he finished in a respectable position in the middle. The same year, in summer, he went on win the Settimana Bergamasca race held in Italy.
He was part of the Olympic cycling team that took part in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. However, Lance did not live up to his potential and ended up standing 14th. However, he turned professional right after the Olympics and joined the Motorola team, earning a decent salary annually. In his first race as a professional, he did not perform to well, as he came last. However, in his second race, just 2 weeks later, he ended up coming second in the World Cup race held at Zurich, Switzerland.
By the following year, he had won many prestigious cycling events and also stood second in the Tour Dupont. He went on to take part in the Tour de France and even won the 8th stage of the race, but had to pull out before the completion of the race. The next year again, Lance was the runner up at the Tour DuPont and was extremely frustrated. So, he began training very had and won the event the following year. He won Tour DuPont again in 1996 and set many records while doing so.
In 1996, he was again part of the Olympic team, but did not perform once again up to people's expectations, as he stood 12th in the road race event. Also, the same year, he could not finish the Tour de France, as he was suffering from bronchitis. However, he was still ranked number 7th in the world and this saw him getting a good contract financially from Team Confidis of France, which Lance signed immediately.
The same year, Lance was diagnosed with cancer of the testes and the tumor had metastasized into his abdomen, lymph nodes and lungs. He had to have one testicle surgically removed and alter his eating habits. He also had to undergo chemotherapy. The doctors had given him just 65 percent to 85 percent chance of surviving this cancer. The chances dropped still further when the doctors discovered that the cancer had spread to his brain. However, he had a successful brain surgery and more chemotherapy. By the time February 1997 came, Lance had beaten the cancer.
While Lance was battling cancer, he kept claiming that he would return to cycling competitively. However, his team Confidis cancelled his contract. Once he recovered, he was a free agent, but could not find a sponsor. Finally, he signed up with the US Postal Service team.
In 1998, Lance returned to the competitive circuit and stood fourth in the World Road Race. Thereafter, he went on to win several other prestigious events, such as Cascade Classic and the Tour of Luxembourg. The following year, Lance took part in the Tour de France and he began dominating the event. This saw many rumors flying that he had taken performance enhancing drugs. However, no traces were found in his blood. He ended up winning the event. The next, 2000, once again Lance won the prestigious Tour de France, and the same year he won the bronze for cycling at the Sydney Olympics in Australia.
Lance was married to Kristin Richard. He met her through his cancer foundation, LiveStrong. They even have a son named Luke, who was born in October 1999. The son was conceived using Lance's frozen sperms. Thereafter, in 2001, the couple had twin daughters. However, they divorced in 2003. After this, Lance has had several relationships, including with Sheryl Crow, Tory Burch, Kate Hudson and Ashley Olsen. However, the iron man of cycling found love once more when his girlfriend, Anna Hansen, got pregnant in December 2008 with a child. The following year in June, Lance had another son named Maxwell Edward.
People should take courage from what Lance Armstrong has been through. He beat cancer and returned to competitive cycling when no else believed he would. He proved all his detractors wrong and set one record after another. While he has had his share of controversy over performance enhancing drugs, nothing has been proven.
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Biography.com: Lance Armstrong Biography
http://www.biography.com/articles/Lance-Armstrong-9188901?part=2
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Air Jordan, as Michael Jordan is called for his amazing ability to leap, is the son of Deloris and James R. Jordan, Sr. He was born in Brooklyn, New York. His mother worked in the banking sector, while his father was an equipment supervisor. Jordan has two older brothers, one older sister and one younger sister. 