* Hamish Carter, Champion Triathlete
Another down-to-earth Kiwi sporting hero, Hamish Carter qualifies for his gold medal achievement and for coming back from the depths. He took the triathlon gold at Athens in a race that thrilled the nation.
We already knew he was a world-class athlete but he disappointed
in the previous Olympics in Sydney, and while he has been ranked the world No 1, the 33-year-old had never quite pulled off a really big title.
In Athens, he did not just pull off the victory but dominated the event, along with fellow New Zealander Bevan Docherty, who won silver. Carter proved that hanging in there, training hard and remaining true to yourself can pay dividends.
He had been in danger of ending his career without gold, and had the added pressure of up-and-comer Docherty nipping at his heels. Docherty was, in fact, tipped to win.
While public expectations may have been lifted from Carter's shoulders, he had something to prove to himself.
He is an all-round nice guy; an approachable, intelligent, articulate family man who remains modest.
He credits two conversations as critical to his success at Athens. Wife Marisa and golden girl Sarah Ulmer both told him he should have fun during the race "and that put me on the right track and settled me down so I wasn't going to freak out".
