ALPENSIA, South Korea — Fortieth place was certainly not the finish American cross-country skier Kikkan Randall had in mind for Saturday’s first medal event of these PyeongChang Olympics. We would expect nothing less from a veteran of five Olympics, a fierce competitor who has made this grueling, lung-capacity-testing sport a way of life.

The feeling here?

Randall gets credit just for being at the start. Returning to the top of her sport after taking a break to give birth to her son, Randall earns a spot on a team full of a new brand of American sporting heroes, joining women such as tennis star Serena Williams who prove that having a baby doesn’t mean giving up an athletic career.