AUSTIN, Texas, January 23. LANCE Armstrong, best known for winning the Tour de France from 1999 to 2005 with a record seven victories, participated in the 500-yard freestyle at the Longhorn Aquatics New Year's Classic this weekend.
Armstrong, 40, placed 21st in the event with a 5:08.11. That swim would have ranked him ninth in the country last year among Masters in the 40-44 age division. Ethan Saulnier of New England Masters posted the top time last year with a 4:40.12.
"OUCH!!!" Armstrong tweeted. "5 minutes and 8 seconds of torture." He later tweeted that he watched Sixteen Candles with his kids this weekend in honor of "all the 16yrd olds" who beat him in prelims including Wes Thomas, 16, who led qualifying with a 4:41.38.
21 Armstrong, Lance E 40 UN-ST 4:59.99 5:08.11
27.62 57.50 (29.88)
1:27.89 (30.39) 1:58.72 (30.83)
2:29.94 (31.22) 3:01.26 (31.32)
3:32.93 (31.67) 4:04.81 (31.88)
4:36.64 (31.83) 5:08.11 (31.47)