ATHLETICS - Warriner excels - in 5000m!

Beijing-bound triathlete Sam Warriner harbours few illusions about her tactical nous when it comes to track running.
But in last night's women's 5000m final at the national track and field championships at Mt Smart stadium, any shortcomings she had were well-hidden.
Warriner paced herself intelligently to clock a gritty 16min 16.25sec for third behind the Auckland duo of United States-based Kimberley Smith (15:19.61) and Rowan Baird (16:09.29).
Warriner has an intense build-up leading into August's Olympics, with next weekend's ITU World Cup race in New Plymouth her first real competitive test, but that wasn't obvious from the gusto with which she attacked last night's race.
While Smith's victory was never in doubt, Warriner's lack of experience - it was just her fourth race of the summer - never really held her back.
"Obviously I'm not a track runner, so I probably didn't race it tactically smart. I need to learn a little bit more about where to position myself, and I probably went off a little bit too fast," Warriner said afterwards. "But I loved it. I really enjoyed it, I beat my personal best by 30 seconds, so that's quite amazing."
Warriner said yesterday that her training schedule for Beijing hadn't been eased to make adjustments for the race.
"I swam this morning, yesterday I swam, biked and ran, and on Wednesday I had some hill repetitions, so I've not really tapered for it. I've just come along, and it's all part of my training."
The chance to introduce some variety into her training, to sharpen up and get the leg speed going was invaluable, Warriner said. "It was ideal timing for the New Plymouth World Cup, just brilliant."
And it also gave the irrepressible Warriner, 36, a chance to live out some long-held track and field fantasies.
"I do like running track - you know how you hear on TV `she's coming off the bend, accelerating out'? I have that going on in my head. I'm imagining I really am a professional. Next year I definitely will do more track races."
With her berth to Beijing assured, and her training chugging along nicely, Warriner has the luxury of being able to watch tomorrow's opening ITU World Cup race in Mooloolaba, Queensland, closely as Kiwis Nicky Samuels (of Whangarei) and Andrea Hewitt fight it out for the last women's spot.
"I wouldn't like to say who'll get there. Nicky's had a great season, she's improved no end, but Andrea Hewitt is a very talented athlete and she always pulls out the big ones.
"I'm just glad I'm not racing. They're both determined athletes and they'll both give it 100 percent. I'll be texting the best of luck to both of them, because they both deserve to go."
Following next week's New Plymouth race, Warriner heads off to Korea for another World Cup race on April 24 before flying to Canada to prepare for the world championships in Vancouver in June.