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Lance Armstrong was born in Plano, Texas, in 1971. As a child, he enjoyed running, swimming and bicycling - and when he was only 13, he competed in his first triathlon. He became a professional athlete at age 16. While he was still in high school, the American national cycling team asked Armstrong to work out with them.
In 1991, Armstrong won several major races. However, he didn't always win. At the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, he finished fourteenth - a poor showing. The next year, he made a fantastic comeback: He won the U.S. cycling " Triple Crown," and then became the youngest cyclist ever to win the World Race Championships in Norway.
Armstrong's career was really taking off. Then in 1996, he started to feel tired and ill. He finished in only twelfth place in the Atlanta Olypics - a disappointment. Later that year, Armstrong got the shock of his life: He was diagnosed with cancer, and his doctors said he had only 40 percent chance of surviving. Mang people were convinced that his career was over.
Armstrong would not quit. He had surgery and chemocherapy, and by February 1997, he was cancer-free. With his cancer in remission, he was determined to train hard and compete again with the world's top cyclists.
In 1998, Armstrong returned to professional racing. He wanted to be the best, and that meant he had to win the most prestigious races in the world: the Tour de France. No one thought he could recover from cancer and win such a strenuous race. Armstrong proved them wrong: Not only did he win it in 1999, but he also won it every year for another five years!
Many consider Armstrong to be one of the world's greatest ahletes, and a real inspiration. Armstrong once wrote: " I don't always win. Sometimes just finishing is the best I can do. But with each race, I feel that I further define my capacity for living. That's why I ride, and why I try to ride hard, even when I don't have to."
triathlon -- an athletic event in which participants compete in running, swimming and bicycling.
comeback -- achieving success after a period of little or no success.
remission -- when no cancer is found after treatment.
prestigious -- well know and respected.
strenuous -- physically demanding.
inspiration -- one whose achievements cause people to want to work harder.
In 1991, Armstrong won several major races. However, he didn't always win. At the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, he finished fourteenth - a poor showing. The next year, he made a fantastic comeback: He won the U.S. cycling " Triple Crown," and then became the youngest cyclist ever to win the World Race Championships in Norway.
Armstrong's career was really taking off. Then in 1996, he started to feel tired and ill. He finished in only twelfth place in the Atlanta Olypics - a disappointment. Later that year, Armstrong got the shock of his life: He was diagnosed with cancer, and his doctors said he had only 40 percent chance of surviving. Mang people were convinced that his career was over.
Armstrong would not quit. He had surgery and chemocherapy, and by February 1997, he was cancer-free. With his cancer in remission, he was determined to train hard and compete again with the world's top cyclists.
In 1998, Armstrong returned to professional racing. He wanted to be the best, and that meant he had to win the most prestigious races in the world: the Tour de France. No one thought he could recover from cancer and win such a strenuous race. Armstrong proved them wrong: Not only did he win it in 1999, but he also won it every year for another five years!
Many consider Armstrong to be one of the world's greatest ahletes, and a real inspiration. Armstrong once wrote: " I don't always win. Sometimes just finishing is the best I can do. But with each race, I feel that I further define my capacity for living. That's why I ride, and why I try to ride hard, even when I don't have to."
triathlon -- an athletic event in which participants compete in running, swimming and bicycling.
comeback -- achieving success after a period of little or no success.
remission -- when no cancer is found after treatment.
prestigious -- well know and respected.
strenuous -- physically demanding.
inspiration -- one whose achievements cause people to want to work harder.
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