Women Now Look Weak For Australia

Sydney Morning Herald

Monday March 27, 2000

LOUISE EVANS

AUSTRALIA'S hold on the women's section of the new Olympic sport of triathlon looked as weak as Emma Carney yesterday as the one-time world champion lay in the medical tent on a drip after staggering over the line for ninth at the national titles at Mooloolaba on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

Former world junior champion Nicole Hackett, from the Central Coast, showed great courage to overtake race leader and world No5 Barb Lindquist, of the United States, in the last kilometre to win her first title. But a scan of the women's results should make nervous reading for Australia's selectors and medal counters banking on a female triathlete in green and gold winning the first gold of Sydney Games.

If not for Hackett's heart, the Australian championships would have been won by a foreigner and a deserving one at that. Indeed, foreign athletes filled five of the top 10 places.

Hackett beat Lindquist by just 21 seconds, while fellow Australian Olympic contender Jackie Gallagher was a solid third, 1min6s behind the younger and less experienced Hackett.

It was different in the men's section, however, with three Australians on the podium: Miles Stewart was first, from Cronulla's Chris McCormack and Melbourne's Ryan Carter.

As for the women's race, the way its was run may also have made Triathlon Australia officials queasy.

Hackett and Lindquist are training mates and have been for five months since Lindquist left winter in Wyoming for training and living with the enemy down under. The alliance has paid off for Lindquist, who has never looked so fast, and she has evolved into a slim-line runner and major threat to the locals.

Hackett and Lindquist are strong swimmers and riders and, by working together in yesterday's 28degC heat, had a 2m:30s lead on the field at the end of the 1,500m swim and 40km bike legs.

It proved unbeatable, making for a boring 10km run finale, the only question being which of the two would triumph.

THE nature of the women's race might have been different if Australia's two leading Olympic team favourites, injured world champion Loretta Harrop and Michellie Jones, had competed. But in their absence, it was the Nicky and Barb show and headaches for Triathlon Australia.

Hackett said her tactics would be the same in three weeks on April 16 at the Sydney World Cup, where she, along with Australia's other triathlon hopefuls, will be vying for victory to secure automatic Olympic selection. In doing so, however, Hackett may hand Uncle Sam the treasured title on the Olympic course and pole position for Games gold.

Carney was disappointed after emerging from an hour in the medical tent, for by her own admission she'd had a shocker after starting so well to be 11th out of the water and third off the bike.

She will take little joy from being named female triathlete of the year last night, based on points accumulated during the domestic series. Games selection in Sydney looms and Carney is far from her best with just three weeks to go.

The men's race, which followed the women's, was quite different because the field was more evenly matched and the racing faster and closer.

Stewart, the Olympic team favourite, broke away from a large lead pack halfway into the 10km run with former training mate McCormack.

Stewart, known for his devastating kick, toyed with McCormack in the final kilometre before making the decisive break that gave him his second national title, seven seconds ahead of McCormack. Near the best shape of his career, Stewart should start favourite at the Sydney World Cup.

Carter, the surprise bronze medallist who was returning after 10 months injury, had the best result of his career to earn him a start in the Sydney Cup event.

With him in Sydney will be world junior champion Courtney Atkinson and Eamon Nunn, whose eighth and ninth placings respectively gave them selection in the 10-strong Australian team, subject to International Triathlon Union approval.

Marc Lees, who won the male triathlete of the series award, missed out on selection after finishing 11th yesterday.

The Australian women added to the Sydney World Cup team of 10 yesterday were Rebekah Keat (12th) and Sally Carter (16th).

© 2000 Sydney Morning Herald

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