On this day in 2008: Nicole Cooke wins Olympic road race gold in Beijing

The Welsh rider became the first British woman to win an Olympic cycling gold.

Nicole Cook won gold in Beijing in 2008 (John Giles/PA) (PA Archive)

Nicole Cooke won Great Britain’s first medal of the Beijing Olympics when she took gold in the women’s road race on this day in 2008.

The Welsh rider overcame the competition and heavy rain to cross the line first at the end of the 126km route from the city centre to a section of the Great Wall of China.

It was the first Olympic gold medal won by a British female cyclist, the country’s 200th Olympic gold across all sports and the first by a Welsh athlete since 1972.

Cooke, 25, had stated her intentions when she formed a breakaway with four other riders 6km from the finish.

She went on to beat Sweden’s Emma Johansson and Tatiana Guderza of Italy in a sprint for the finish. Her winning time was three hours 32 minutes 24 seconds.

“It’s just like a dream come true, and I hope everyone one can share in this dream,” said Cooke, who took up competitive cycling at the age of 11 and had finished fifth in Athens in 2004.

Cooke went on to win World Championship gold later in 2008, becoming the first racer to achieve the world and Olympic double in the same year.

She also won the Tour de France twice in her career and retired in 2013.