For 25-year-old Haley Batten, the journey to the Paris Olympics started in the Wasatch Mountains.
“It really all began in Park City,” Batten said. “That’s where I started racing. That’s where I fell in love with the sport.”
Batten continued to hone her skills at Quest University, where she trained in the mountains of British Columbia.
She finished ninth in the women’s mountain biking cross country event at her first Olympics, the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Batten has seen more success in recent years on the World Cup circuit, getting her first overall win earlier this year.
Heading into Paris, she was dealing with a concussion and an achilles injury.
“I definitely was getting a little stressed,” Batten said. “I think it definitely boosted me in a way. I think that I was lucky that the injuries were well-timed, that they made me rest. They made me slow down when it was necessary. I think it’s definitely possible to work too hard, and I think it’s about working smart as well.”
Batten would face another challenge mid-way through the Olympic race.
Her back tire deflated after landing hard on a rock.
Her mechanic quickly replaced the tire and from there, Batten said it was all adrenaline.
“I had nothing to lose at that point,” she said. “I was like, ‘OK I’m out of the medals, right? No chance. Or maybe there is a chance, I’m just going to give it all.’ And I think I just went as hard as I could for the last few laps, like I had nothing to lose. I was all in, because it was a medal or nothing for me. And so I think I just raced with my whole heart, like everything. I tell people that I honestly didn’t feel pain. It was like my legs could climb faster and faster. I could just keep digging in.”
Batten battled back from the sixth place to take the silver medal.
“Throughout all the chaos and the mistakes and the pressure and the energy of the race, it was insane,” she said. “You train for years for those three seconds when you’re at that finish line, that’s an addictive feeling.”
On the final lap, Batten was fined 500 Swiss francs for using the “feed zone” dedicated for drinks or stopping for mechanical problems. Judges penalized her for using the lane without needing to stop.
Batten says she was so focused at the time she didn’t realize she made the mistake.
“If that’s what they need to do to make sure athletes are following those new rules that are being implemented, I totally respect that,” she said. “I want our sport to look professional and to be managed well.”
For aspiring young mountain bikers looking to reach the Olympic stage, Batten has a simple message: embrace the challenges.
“I think a lot of the times people getting in a sport, they set themselves back by thinking that those setbacks are getting in their way or they’re affecting their preparation or they’re holding them back from being great or something. But I totally disagree. Every challenge, the harder it’s been, the better it’s made me. And I think that embracing challenge is what makes us special. I always say that. If you don’t experience something hard, you’re OK, you’re fine. But if you want to be great, you have to overcome challenge.”
Batten is enjoying her time in Paris after her winning the silver medal. She’ll join in the closing ceremonies which start at 1 p.m. MDT Sunday.
