Triathlon: Nathan Richmond back on track for a big finish

From champion to drop-out to Olympic contender ... EUGENE BINGHAM tracks the career of a triathlete who took the hard route to team selection




In triathlon, as it can be in life, those who achieve when they are young often fade in the senior ranks. It seems almost that a boy blessed with the raw talent to be a champion will become a man who struggles with the hard work and grind required to push on and continue achieving.

For a long time, this is what people have thought of Nathan Richmond, the third man in the New Zealand Olympic triathlon team.

In 1995, he became the youngest athlete to win a world junior triathlon gold medal, burning off the field in 30C heat to win in Cancun, Mexico, as a 16-year-old fifth-former.

Since then, his successes on the international stage have been few, and he has been to the brink of walking away from the sport.

The burden of his potential, and the knowledge that people think he has failed to emulate his glory in Mexico, are matters of which the 25-year-old is very much aware.

Last weekend in Newfoundland, he won his first ITU World Cup race, charging from the front with ox-like strength, and boosting his confidence before Athens next month.

Afterwards, his choice of words was illuminating: "This win proves that I am a worthy member of the New Zealand Olympic team."

A few years ago, Richmond hung up his goggles, bike and running shoes, taking a year off to complete his sports science studies at Auckland University.

He also began working as an instructor for swim coach Mark Bone, becoming the company's most popular teacher with swimmers from the age of pre-school up.

Bone, who has known Richmond since he was a cheeky 12-year-old whippet, said the break was not just about committing to study.

It was also chance to consider whether he wanted to be an athlete any more.

"It was a little bit about finding out about what he really wanted to do," said Bone.

"He wanted to find out whether he wanted to go the next step."

Coming back has not been easy for Richmond.

Last year, he was primed to race in the world championships in Queenstown, hoping to claim a spot on the Olympic team as Bevan Docherty and Hamish Carter did.

ITU organisers had indicated that Richmond would be able to have a wildcard entry at Queenstown. He went there full of hope, only to be told the day before that because of protests from other countries, his entry was cancelled.

Bone says the decision was a kick in Richmond's guts, and could have derailed his comeback (Richmond, he says, can take disappointments hard).

Instead, endurance coach Chris Pilone and Bone directed Richmond's attention to a half-ironman, a longer event than the Olympic distance.

"In hindsight, it was the best thing because it gave him more base," says Bone.

Richmond is an endurance and strength-based triathlete. Where Carter and others on the world scene are slim and fast, Richmond is powerful.

Swimming and cycling are his best two disciplines and, as he showed in Newfoundland last weekend, he is at his best when he gets out in front on the bike and saps the strength of less powerful opponents.

In February, after a second in the half-ironman at Tauranga, Richmond went to the Oceania championships in Tasmania for his last chance to qualify.

Nine New Zealanders were chasing the last spot on the Olympic team. Richmond's name was not even mentioned among the favourites to qualify.

On the day, Richmond broke clear with an Australian during the 40km cycle stage. Still people thought he would crumple on the run, but his guts and determination shone through and he ran a 32m 10km run split, described by Pilone as a major breakthrough performance, to hold on for fourth place and the first New Zealander.

Though there was talk of a challenge to Richmond's right to the team spot, Triathlon New Zealand's high performance manager Mark Elliott was won over.

"He really proved his ability to be an Olympian that day."

In the last 500m of Richmond's Tasmanian run, he was joined by Carter. Carter, 33, has known Richmond through Bone's swimming squads for 10 years.

At first the relationship was one of schoolboy-hero, Richmond looking up to Carter, eight years the senior.

But as Richmond has grown up, the pair have become mates and training partners.

When it became clear to Carter that Richmond had bagged the last spot on the team, he pulled out of the race to celebrate and share in the triumph. He ran alongside Richmond up the finishing chute, the pair high-fiving all the way to the line.

It was a moment of joy and friendship. The two mates were going to Athens together.

Though it was unsaid between them, Richmond's selection may help Carter.

In Sydney, Carter's promise of claiming a medal slipped away when others rode away on the bike stage, unchecked by any of the New Zealand team. Though Carter was one of the fastest runners in the race, all was lost by the time he took his first stride.

Having his mate Richmond, a strong rider, in the squad, should help Carter.

Then again, Elliott says 18 years of triathlon have taught him you can never guarantee anything in the sport. Athens could well be Richmond's chance to convince the doubters.


NATHAN RICHMOND

* Born: July 1979, Christchurch.

* Educated: St Kentigern College, Auckland; Auckland University.

* Job: Operations manager and instructor at Mark Bone's Swimtastic swimming school; elite athlete.

1995

World junior triathlon champion

2004

Fourth Oceania Championships

2004

Wins first ITU World Cup event