Even in the anxious days leading up to the race that can secure her trip to the 2008 Beijing Games, the 22-year-old bike racer from Cedar Hills has made a point of noting in her blog the unusual food items she has encountered while awaiting her big moment at the BMX World Championships in China.
"Powdered embryo and fried leeches" was the most recent entry.
But Martin better get used to it.
The Lone Peak High School and Brigham Young graduate is all but assured of returning to China for the Olympics this summer, and she can clinch the trip with even a mediocre performance at the world championships in Tiayuan on Saturday.
She has a commanding lead over her closest rival, Jill Kintner, and only a disastrous turn of events figures to keep her from claiming the only automatic berth onto the U.S. Olympic Team.
Fortunately for Martin, even a poor performance at the world championships - an event she failed to reach last year, while recovering from knee surgery - probably won't keep her from Beijing. Coaches at USA Cycling will pick the rider to fill the second American spot on the Olympic roster, and no other riders have enjoyed as strong a season as Martin.
