OLYMPIC TRIATHLON HOPEFULS
Andrea Whitcombe
Ealing-born Andrea Whitcombe is competing in her second Olympics, but her first as a triathlete. At the Sydney Games in 2000 she was part of the Great Britain team, as she took part in the 5,000m, but failed to win a medal. In 1998, at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, she won a silver medal at the same distance. Whitcombe also competed at the World Cross Country championships five times before trying her hand at triathlon. She won the World Cup at Corner Brook in Canada in 2005, and achieved podium finishes at Cancun, Mexico (2006) and Rhodes, Greece (2007). The 37-year-old* enjoys looking after her tortoise in her spare time.
Anja Dittmer
German triathlete Anja Dittmer took up the sport when she was just 16. The Neubrandenburg-born 32-year-old competed at the Athens Games four years ago, but could only manage an 11th place finish with a time of two hours, seven minutes and 25 seconds. Dittmer, whose brother, Andreas, is a three-time gold medalist in flatwater canoeing, has won a number of World Cup events in the last three years. But at the World Championships in Hamburg, Germany, last year she finished outside the medal places, in sixth. Dittmer trains 25 hours a week and is a member of the Armed Forces.
Bevan Docherty
New Zealander Bevan Docherty is so successful he even has a street named after him in his hometown. In Taupo there is a Docherty Drive to commemorate his achievements, which include winning the silver medal at the Athens Games, four years ago. The 31-year-old Maori began competing in triathlons in 1995 and has won four out of five World Cup events he has entered in the last five years. He won the World Championships in 2004, in Funchal, Portugal, and came second in Vancouver, Canada, this year. Docherty also has a degree in mechanical engineering and enjoys wake boarding and snow boarding in his spare time.
Brad Kahlefeldt
The Australian, whose parents were both marathon runners, missed out on the Olympic Games four years ago due to sustaining a hip injury just months before Athens opened its doors to the sporting world. But Brad Kahlefeldt, who came third in the 2005 and 2007 World Championships, has bounced back and will be in with a great chance of finishing on the podium in Beijing. He won eight World Cup events in 2006 and was named Australian Athlete of the Year that same year. The 29-year-old lives on the Gold Coast in Queensland and enjoys studying geography.
Daniel Unger
The Ravenburg-born 30-year-old won the World Championships in Hamburg, Germany, last year – his career highlight thus far. Daniel Unger, who can speak four languages, has never before been to the Olympics – he missed out in Athens due to injury – though after winning a World Cup event in Richards Bay in South Africa earlier this year, he is in great form for Beijing. The German, who trains up to 40 hours a week, will be one of the favourites to take the gold medal in August. Unger is a plumber by trade and lives in Bad Saulgau.
Debbie Tanner
New Zealander Debbie Tanner came ninth in the World Championships in Vancover, Canada, earlier this year, but will be hoping to finish higher up at her first Olympics at Beijing this August. The 25-year-old, who lives in Auckland, where she was born, took up triathlon when she was only 13. Her biggest success so far was achieved when she won a World Cup event at Ishigaki, Japan, in 2006. She has a degree in Sports and Recreational Studies from Auckland and trains with fellow countryman Bevan Docherty and her sister, Nikki, competed at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Emma Moffatt
Twenty-three-year-old Emma Moffatt was named Australia’s Athlete of the Year in 2007 after a World Cup win in Edmonton, Canada, and finishing fourth at the World Championships in Hamburg, Germany. Beijing will be the Moree-born star’s first Olympics and the Human Movement student will be in with a good chance of making the podium. She is a former cross country national champion and began competing in triathlons aged 13. Her family are all involved in triathlon and away from competing she enjoys spending time on the beach with her friends.
Emma Snowsill
Gold Coast-born Emma Snowsill made her international triathlon aged 17 and now she trains for seven days a week. The 27-year-old, who won the World Championships in 2003, 2005 and 2006, swims 30km, runs 100km and cycles 250km a day now. Tragedy hit Snowsill, who will be competing in her first Olympics in Beijing, in 2002, when her then-boyfriend, Luke Harrop, was hit by a car while out with her on a training run. She is in excellent form this year, having won World Cup events at Ishigaki, Japan, and Mooloolaba, Australia.
Frédéric Belaubre
France’s Frédéric Belaubre finished in fifth place at the Olympic Games in Athens four years ago, and is in with a good shout of making the podium this year in Beijing. The Poissy-born 28-year-old, who enjoys sculpting and sewing in his spare time, came third in the World Championships in Lausanne in Switzerland in 2006. He also won the European Championships in the same year and has won World Cup events in Beijing, Salford, England, and Madrid, Spain, in the last four years. His father helped to introduce triathlon to France in the 1970s and Frédéric’s ambition is to win a medal at the Beijing Games.
Greg Bennett
Sydney-born Greg Bennett will be looking to better his fourth place achieved at the last Olympic Games in Athens in 2004. The 36-year-old will be competing in his second Games in Beijing, but could only finish in 24th place in the recent World Championships in Vancover, Canada, earlier in the year. Bennett, who also likes to surf, play rugby and soccer, ran his first triathlon when he was only 14. He is married to American triathlete Laura Reback and has one ritual before competition: no sex 72 from hours before racing.
* Ages correct on August 8 – the start of the Olympics
Andrea Whitcombe
Ealing-born Andrea Whitcombe is competing in her second Olympics, but her first as a triathlete. At the Sydney Games in 2000 she was part of the Great Britain team, as she took part in the 5,000m, but failed to win a medal. In 1998, at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, she won a silver medal at the same distance. Whitcombe also competed at the World Cross Country championships five times before trying her hand at triathlon. She won the World Cup at Corner Brook in Canada in 2005, and achieved podium finishes at Cancun, Mexico (2006) and Rhodes, Greece (2007). The 37-year-old* enjoys looking after her tortoise in her spare time.
Anja Dittmer
German triathlete Anja Dittmer took up the sport when she was just 16. The Neubrandenburg-born 32-year-old competed at the Athens Games four years ago, but could only manage an 11th place finish with a time of two hours, seven minutes and 25 seconds. Dittmer, whose brother, Andreas, is a three-time gold medalist in flatwater canoeing, has won a number of World Cup events in the last three years. But at the World Championships in Hamburg, Germany, last year she finished outside the medal places, in sixth. Dittmer trains 25 hours a week and is a member of the Armed Forces.
Bevan Docherty
New Zealander Bevan Docherty is so successful he even has a street named after him in his hometown. In Taupo there is a Docherty Drive to commemorate his achievements, which include winning the silver medal at the Athens Games, four years ago. The 31-year-old Maori began competing in triathlons in 1995 and has won four out of five World Cup events he has entered in the last five years. He won the World Championships in 2004, in Funchal, Portugal, and came second in Vancouver, Canada, this year. Docherty also has a degree in mechanical engineering and enjoys wake boarding and snow boarding in his spare time.
Brad Kahlefeldt
The Australian, whose parents were both marathon runners, missed out on the Olympic Games four years ago due to sustaining a hip injury just months before Athens opened its doors to the sporting world. But Brad Kahlefeldt, who came third in the 2005 and 2007 World Championships, has bounced back and will be in with a great chance of finishing on the podium in Beijing. He won eight World Cup events in 2006 and was named Australian Athlete of the Year that same year. The 29-year-old lives on the Gold Coast in Queensland and enjoys studying geography.
Daniel Unger
The Ravenburg-born 30-year-old won the World Championships in Hamburg, Germany, last year – his career highlight thus far. Daniel Unger, who can speak four languages, has never before been to the Olympics – he missed out in Athens due to injury – though after winning a World Cup event in Richards Bay in South Africa earlier this year, he is in great form for Beijing. The German, who trains up to 40 hours a week, will be one of the favourites to take the gold medal in August. Unger is a plumber by trade and lives in Bad Saulgau.
Debbie Tanner
New Zealander Debbie Tanner came ninth in the World Championships in Vancover, Canada, earlier this year, but will be hoping to finish higher up at her first Olympics at Beijing this August. The 25-year-old, who lives in Auckland, where she was born, took up triathlon when she was only 13. Her biggest success so far was achieved when she won a World Cup event at Ishigaki, Japan, in 2006. She has a degree in Sports and Recreational Studies from Auckland and trains with fellow countryman Bevan Docherty and her sister, Nikki, competed at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Emma Moffatt
Twenty-three-year-old Emma Moffatt was named Australia’s Athlete of the Year in 2007 after a World Cup win in Edmonton, Canada, and finishing fourth at the World Championships in Hamburg, Germany. Beijing will be the Moree-born star’s first Olympics and the Human Movement student will be in with a good chance of making the podium. She is a former cross country national champion and began competing in triathlons aged 13. Her family are all involved in triathlon and away from competing she enjoys spending time on the beach with her friends.
Emma Snowsill
Gold Coast-born Emma Snowsill made her international triathlon aged 17 and now she trains for seven days a week. The 27-year-old, who won the World Championships in 2003, 2005 and 2006, swims 30km, runs 100km and cycles 250km a day now. Tragedy hit Snowsill, who will be competing in her first Olympics in Beijing, in 2002, when her then-boyfriend, Luke Harrop, was hit by a car while out with her on a training run. She is in excellent form this year, having won World Cup events at Ishigaki, Japan, and Mooloolaba, Australia.
Frédéric Belaubre
France’s Frédéric Belaubre finished in fifth place at the Olympic Games in Athens four years ago, and is in with a good shout of making the podium this year in Beijing. The Poissy-born 28-year-old, who enjoys sculpting and sewing in his spare time, came third in the World Championships in Lausanne in Switzerland in 2006. He also won the European Championships in the same year and has won World Cup events in Beijing, Salford, England, and Madrid, Spain, in the last four years. His father helped to introduce triathlon to France in the 1970s and Frédéric’s ambition is to win a medal at the Beijing Games.
Greg Bennett
Sydney-born Greg Bennett will be looking to better his fourth place achieved at the last Olympic Games in Athens in 2004. The 36-year-old will be competing in his second Games in Beijing, but could only finish in 24th place in the recent World Championships in Vancover, Canada, earlier in the year. Bennett, who also likes to surf, play rugby and soccer, ran his first triathlon when he was only 14. He is married to American triathlete Laura Reback and has one ritual before competition: no sex 72 from hours before racing.
* Ages correct on August 8 – the start of the Olympics
Labels: Beijing Olympics, Triathlon
