Another Bronze Age? It is for CCA—

Jill Kintner (Graphic Design) knows better than most the truth behind the old adage "All that glitters is not gold." In fact, she'll tell you bronze—particularly Olympic bronze—also has the substance of true championship.

In the first-ever bicycle motocross (BMX) racing event at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics last week, Kintner medaled bronze in the women's race. Additionally, she was the only qualifying American woman, which is not surprising considering by age 21 she was the American Bicycle Association (ABA) BMX World Champion.

In fact, the Beijing Olympics was the last remaining major biking event in which Kintner had yet to compete; she has won every title in 4-cross mountain biking, and all major titles in BMX racing.

Yet despite a history of toggling BMX and mountain bike racing, in which she also held a world title in 2007 before committing herself to attaining an Olympic medal in Beijing, Kintner's multifaceted competitive nature runs pure as gold.

Growing up with a bike track down the street, it was easy for 8-year-old Kintner and her brother to take up the sport together. She started competing professionally at 14. Now 26, she is an Olympic champion.

During a break from her BMX and mountain-biking career, Kintner applied to CCA to pursue a BFA in graphic design. However, at the time her passion to wear a medal was stronger than her desire to design one, so she picked up her BMX bike and literally went for gold in Beijing. (Kintner is registered to return to CCA this fall.)

Where will one next find Kintner? She splits her time between her native Seattle and Australia, where she shares a home with boyfriend Bryn Atkinson (a former mountain bike team member).

To view Kintner's art, visit her self-designed website: www.jillkintner.com.

To read additional coverage of this remarkable athlete-designer, visit the NBC Olympic athlete bio for Jill Kintner.

All photos (c) Justin Kosman / Red Bull Photofiles.