The Hindu : Sport / Olympic Games : Kate Allen sprints to gold

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Aug 26, 2004

Sport

Sport - Olympic Games

Kate Allen sprints to gold

By Kamesh Srinivasan

ATHENS, AUG. 25. Kate Allen beat the tough conditions and a competitive field as she sprinted to the gold in the women's triathlon at the Vouliagmeni course here on Wednesday.

"I am totally surprised at winning this race. I was prepared for both biking and running but my ability to do well at swimming was a surprise. I had the best swim of my life out there. When it came down to the last round of the running portion my husband told me, `you are running in silver place', I had no idea'', said the 34-year-old Australian who competes for Austria.

Kate beat Loretta Harrop of Australia and Susan Williams of the US to the gold. Winning the silver medal in the last World Cup in Hamburg was her earlier best performance.

Kate clocked 2 hours 4 minutes 43.45 seconds for the overall course. She was timed 20:38.00 for the 1500-metre swimming in which she came out 44th, 1:09:52 for the 40 kilometre cycling the tenth best timing and 34:13.00 for the 10 kilometre running, that helped her beat the rest by a mile.

"I had trained exclusively for 20 weeks, especially on the bike, to prepare myself on this course. It didn't hurt me at all out there'', Kate said.

The silver medallist Loretta Harrop was not unhappy about losing the gold.

"She was flying. I never even saw her when she came past me. I haven't seen her all year. I don't know much about her. I am not disappointed. I gave 100 per cent'', said Loretta, as she admired the strong finish of Kate.

It was a happy frame for the photographers as the bronze medallist Susan Williams had her daughter with her on the podium.

In fact, it was the baby who wore the Olive wreath on her head, and kept fondling the medal, even as the photographers waited to have a good look at the medal in the child's hands.

Susan was ready to compete in the last Olympics in Sydney, but found that she was pregnant.

"My daughter is here with me. I named her Sydney. She came to these Olympics to see me compete'', said Susan who was quite thrilled about winning a medal, as she was a dark horse in making the American team.

She had a crash while coming down the hill, but recovered to stay on course with her partner from the US Barbara Lindquist, the current world No.1

"I got too close into the side board on the tight turn. I flew a little but it wasn't too bad, a few scratches and bruises, that is all'', said Susan.

"I got dropped on the first hill. And then I saw Susan and we rode together for the remainder of the bike. I did my best on the day. I didn't come in thinking I should win gold. There were a dozen girls that could have won gold'', said Barbara, after finishing ninth.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport