Hughes ready for more Olympics double duty

By Steve Keating

TORONTO (Reuters) - Clara Hughes has already won her biggest battle. A rebel who found a cause, she is the only athlete to win multiple medals at both the Winter and Summer Games.

The 39-year-old was once a troubled teenager, now she is an inspiration to millions of Canadians, finding success in speedskating, cycling and life.

She already has six Olympic medals, equaling her speed skating teammate Cindy Klassen as Canada's most successful Olympian, but may not be finished yet after booking her place in the team for London.

"I have no idea what lies ahead after London," she told Reuters. "If it continues, it continues, if it stops I can call it a pretty good career.

"As an older athlete realising this could be the last chance I have to live this challenge, this opportunity to achieve something that means something to me."

At London, Hughes will be competing at her sixth Olympics, three Summer and three Winter, in 16 years. She won medals at four of her five previous Games.

She collected two bronze medals in cycling at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and four medals in speedskating, including gold in the 5,000 meters at the 2006 Turin Games.

She missed the last two Summer Olympics after giving up cycling but decided to make a comeback and qualified for London.