OTLEY'S cycling world champion Lizzie Armitstead expressed pride and avoided self pity after her week of turmoil ended in Olympic disappointment at Copacabana beach today.
The 27-year-old was handed a reprieve over three drugs testing whereabouts 'failures' when the first was declared void by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
But Britain's first medallist of London 2012, with silver on The Mall behind Marianne Vos, could only finish fifth in the 137-kilometres road race as Holland's Anna van der Breggen won a dramatic gold.
Armitstead said: "I can't feel sorry for myself. This is sport and that's what it's about.
"You open yourself up for judgement. I never gave up and for that I can be proud of myself.
"Obviously I've lost quite a lot of sleep and it's been a hard time, but it's not an excuse.
"Once I've got a number on my back I'm a totally different person and I'm focused and it didn't enter my mind once in the race. I was totally focused on what I do best.
"It's a deserving Olympic champion for sure."
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