Gold by Chris Cleave
Kate and Zoe have been competitors in the sport of track cycling for years. At age thirty-two, the women train for their final Olympic Games. The grueling training schedule tests their physical fortitude as well as the limits of their fragile friendship.
In terms of pure athleticism, either woman can win the gold medal. But in a sport where the difference between winning and losing is one tenth of a second, a strong mind beats a strong body.
Kate is the more naturally gifted athlete, but her demanding personal life distracts her from training. After a three-year remission, her daughter Sophie’s leukemia is back. In contrast, Zoe has no personal life at all, but guilt and anger accompany her everywhere.
Who triumphs? It won’t take you long to find out because this terrific, if somewhat overwrought, novel moves at Velodrome speed!