After a week of training on the hot, dry, and dusty Tokyo Olympic cross-country mountain bike course, heavy rains caused by Typhoon Nepartak turned the Izu course into something quite different for the women's events. The change may have been to the advantage of gold medalist Jolanda Neff, but it had the opposite effect on former world champion Kate Courtney (USA).

Courtney and teammate Haley Batten, both from California, were out of medal contention, but finished the day in 15th and 9th place, respectively.

Courtney said that course conditions and last-minute changes made by the organizers had a major impact on the race.

"It was the racers versus the course, given how much the course changed overnight," Courtney said. 'It's hard to stress how much the course changed. Right up until the moment we started, they were making changes to the course."

These changes included putting back the wooden planks on the drop-offs that had been removed in the men's race.

Other changes included closing the entrances to the A-line at Yolen Rock Garden and the A-line at Karesansui Rock Garden and introducing a new line at the latter.

Courtney's problems, however, began long before these obstacles.

"It didn't work from the beginning. My pedals got caught on another rider's wheels. From there I just concentrated on running as smooth and smart as possible."

"It wasn't my best race, but I don't think there is any other event where you can be honored and humbled to be here representing your country, representing your family, even though you didn't finish in an ideal position.

"I really respect the athletes. Jolanda [Neff] is one of the best technical riders in the field. I think she's probably the one who benefited from the conditions and is really adaptable and can handle the conditions.

"Jolanda has been a dominant force in the sport for many years. It's easy to root for her when she's at the top and dismiss her when she's not. I think she is a true champion and truly deserves this outcome. I'm so happy she was able to pull off a ride that will be celebrated for years to come."

Courtney, like Neff, has been at the pinnacle of the sport and has encountered some challenging times. Neff suffered a horrific crash in December 2019, rupturing her spleen and puncturing her lung. She was able to recover from that when the Olympics were postponed to 2021, but then broke her hand at the Leogang World Cup in June.

Courtney won the world title in 2018 at age 22 and the overall World Cup title in 2019, but then the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of almost all MTB competitions in 2020. And after finishing fourth in the Albstadt World Cup, Courtney crashed in Nove Miesto and broke her wrist.

The 25-year-old admitted that she was not at her best, as the uncertainty brought on by the pandemic added to the stress leading up to the Olympics.

"It was definitely a series of tough competitions for me," she said. It's nobody's fault but my own. It's nobody's fault but my own. For me, it's about resetting and continuing to work hard to get back to the top of the race. I know I have the ability to do that, I just have to find a way to make it happen."

In contrast to Courtney's disappointment, 22-year-old Hayley Batten was overjoyed to finish in the top 10 at her first Olympics, and after training extensively in British Columbia, the muddy course seemed to be to her liking.

"I liked this course a lot better than the loose pre-ride course," she said. It was a lot of fun." Chaos and unpredictability are similar to the trends of 2020 and 2021. I embraced it and enjoyed it immensely. I go to school in Squamish, BC, so I love those conditions.

"This course is very technical and there is very little overtaking. On the starting loop, I was further back than I expected. Luckily, I felt strong during the race and was able to move forward. A top 10 is a great result for my first Olympic race.

With silver and bronze medals from the Albstadt and Nove Mesto World Cups and a ninth place finish at this Olympics, Batten has his sights set on the next Olympics, Paris in 2024 and Los Angeles in 2028.

"I have been training to win medals now or in the future. I went into the race giving my absolute best and I'm very happy with the result. [It was] a very emotional and incredibly special experience. I felt so much love and support from everyone around me and my family. It was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had."