Tanner and Warriner earn Olympic nominations

Beijing, China: Debbie Tanner upstaged her more favoured Kiwi rivals to secure a nomination to the New Zealand Olympic Committee for the 2008 Beijing Games Triathlon with a 4th place at the BG World Cup Triathlon in Beijing today.

Sam Warriner finished in 6th place and in doing so also met the Triathlon New Zealand criteria to secure a nomination to the NZOC of second Kiwi home inside the top ten overall while Andrea Hewitt will have to focus now on the second Olympic selection race in Mooloolaba next year after finishing in 14th place.

The race was dominated by Portugal’s world number one Vanessa Fernandes but the interest for the Kiwi’s was very much on the race to earn nomination for the Olympic Games.

From the moment the New Zealanders exited the water in close proximity it seemed they had eyes only for each other, working together to spur their chase group to close the gap on the leading group of cyclists towards the end of the 40km ride.

Once on the run however, Tanner and Warriner moved clear of Hewitt who struggled through a difficult patch midway through her run. From that moment it became a question of which one of Tanner or Warriner would finish as the leading Kiwi, but also could both finish inside the top ten and earn nomination to the NZOC.

This they both managed to do comfortably, with Tanner pipped for a podium by American Lisa Bennett in a sprint finish.

The Aucklander was delighted with her form.

“On any other day I wouldn’t want fourth but today it feels absolutely fantastic, to qualify for Olympics was the dream and the goal for this year and I am so thrilled. It is an amazing feeling to race in the New Zealand uniform at any time but I am going to be so proud to wear the silver fern at the Olympics. This is a dream I’ve had since I was a kid and I’ve achieved that today.

“The whole year was about building strength for this course, every race a stepping stone to today. This is more than just me; it is the work of a team behind me, Pete Pfitzinger (overall coach), Damien Pedreschi (Swim coach) and my family and supporters. I came here knowing I had done the hard work and raced as hard as I could and it has paid off.”

Tanner was quick to acknowledge the keen competition within the team.

“With the quality of our athletes this was always going to be hard, we have four of the best in the world and to race them is to race the best in the world. You couldn’t get a better preparation than that.”

Sam Warriner was in similar mood, especially as she knew reasonably early in the run that it wasn’t to be her day.

“Today wasn’t the best day but I am stoked to qualify. I got cramp on the last lap going down the hill and I had to walk to make sure I made the finish comfortably inside that top ten. My support crew was having heart attacks when they saw me but I simply had to grit my teeth to get through, and I did the job.

“The heat took a toll with today the first day the sun has come out since we arrived here. We now have a better understanding of the conditions and course to prepare for next year though and again, I am delighted to qualify and to finish 6th in a World Cup race.”

Warriner too spoke of the quality in the New Zealand ranks putting huge pressure on making the team.

“This is the most pressured race of the year with the carrot of the Olympics as big as it gets, to be a part of the most spectacular event is going to be great. Just making our team is so tough and a huge achievement in itself, now I can concentrate on preparing for Beijing and doing well there.”

Triathlon New Zealand High Performance Director Stephen Farrell was pleased with the results and effort of the Kiwis, with all five finishing inside the top 25.

“Overall this has been a great day with all the athletes racing well in what was a pressure cooker situation. For obvious reasons they were watching each other more than perhaps they were watching the race but Debbie and Sam have done a great job in both comfortably meeting the criteria to earn a nomination to the NZOC.

“Andrea too has a big tick by her name after finishing third Kiwi in 14th and I have no doubt she has it in her to secure a third nomination provided we stay in the top eight countries on rankings to earn the three starting positions in Beijing. It wasn’t her best day and she will be disappointed but we know her class and I’m sure she will bounce back.”

Moments after the finish, Hewitt had already set her sights on Mooloolaba next year.

“I’m disappointed but I’ve still got Mooloolaba. Our strength and depth makes it so competitive amongst our own team but to be third Kiwi today still keeps me in the hunt.”

Hewitt along with Evelyn Williamson and Nicky Samuels must now turn their attention to the World Cup race in Mooloolaba next year to earn that third berth should New Zealand be one of the eight leading countries to qualify for three starters in Beijing.

2007 BG World Cup, Beijing China

Place
Athlete
Time

1
V. FERNANDES (POR)
2:00:35.93

2
E. SNOWSILL (AUS)
2:01:51.04

3
L. BENNETT (USA)
2:02:06.00

4
D. TANNER (Auckland/NZL)
2:02:09.75

5
A. DITTMER (GER)
2:02:43.32

6
S. WARRINER (Whangarei/NZL)
2:02:44.60

7
N. SPIRIG (SUI)
2:02:45.62

8
E. MOFFATT (AUS)
2:02:54.50

9
E. MAY (LUX)
2:03:08.94

10
F. ABRAM (AUS)
2:03:16.22

Plus
NZers


14
A. HEWITT (Christchurch/NZL)
2:04:01.78

20
E. WILLIAMSON (Kapiti Coast/NZL)
2:04:57.73

25
N. SAMUELS (Whangarei/NZL)
2:05:38.09




The elite men race tomorrow, starting at 2pm New Zealand time.

Elite Men, Sunday 16th September

Name City ITU rank

Bevan Docherty Auckland 3

Kris Gemmell Palmerston Nth 5

Shane Reed New Plymouth 18

Terenzo Bozzone North Shore 36

Clark Ellice New Plymouth 66

Ben Pulham North Shore 100