Triathlon first for Warriner

The Northern Advocate People's Choice Award category in the Konica Minolta Northland Sports Awards is focusing on past Olympians. We are profiling the 13 Olympians  you will be asked to vote on  in early November. The winner will be announced at the awards on November 30. Today... Sam Warriner.

Samantha Warriner was responsible for creating a buzz about triathlon in Northland by becoming the area's first Olympic triathlete.

The English-born athlete finished 18th in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Greece - as Hamish Carter and Bevan Docherty launched the sport into the national consciousness.

Quitting her teaching job at Whangarei Girls High School, she turned professional at the end of 2005.

She won two ITU World Cup races in Japan and Germany before claiming silver at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.

In 2008, Warriner won the ITU World Cup series overall. Going into the final round in second position she needed to finish seventh or above in the Mexican finale and did it in style by claiming victory. She was awarded the World Cup at the Madrid ITU World Congress at the beginning of December.

In all Warriner won seven World Cup events, leaving her ninth on the all time list of female winners.

At the 2008 Olympics in Beijing she finished 16th.

She later competed in more half-ironman competitions and spent some time in the United States competing and training.

She has recently had her first child, Lola-Rose, and the former teacher has also begun to train Northland's up-and-coming triathletes - some of whom she inspired to get involved in the sport.