KEY POINTS:
Striding on to the running course of the Olympic triathlon yesterday, Andrea Hewitt looked up and saw no one in front of her. She was leading the race.
The Christchurch 26-year-old then saw gold flashing in front of her eyes - it was not visions of a medal, however, but the trim on Emma Snowsill's green racing suit.
Snowsill led an Australian assault on the podium, claiming gold with a blazing run of 33m 17s, more than a minute faster than anyone else. The bronze was taken by her countrywoman Emma Moffatt, while silver went to Portugal's Vanessa Fernandes. Snowsill and Fernandes had been the pre-race hot favourites.
For Snowsill, it was the perfect comeback from the disappointment of Athens where she failed to make the Australian team.
"Lessons were learned and it was a great motivation for coming to Beijing," Snowsill said. "Coming down on the last lap I had to throw in whatever I had left - there's nothing like running scared."
Hewitt's challenge for a medal melted in the 30C-plus heat. She was happy with her eighth placing, the first New Zealander home.
"I decided to go out hard [on the run] and I just tried to hang on as long as I could," she said.
"I gave the best I had today.
"That last 1km I felt like I had asthma even though I don't have asthma."
Hewitt's delight at her final placing was in sharp contrast to the feelings of Sam Warriner, the Whangarei 37-year-old.
The world championship bronze medallist's challenge came crashing down in the bike transition when she was tripped in a tangle with a Japanese opponent. After picking herself up, she carried on for 16th place, but was distraught afterwards.
"I had a great swim, felt alright on the bike and then I got tripped in transition and I think I cut my foot," she said before being led away in tears. "But no excuses, I didn't perform on the day ... very disappointed ... sorry to New Zealand, and sorry to my sponsors in Whangarei and Auckland."
The third New Zealander, Debbie Tanner, of Auckland, picked up placings near the end when she found her running legs.
"Top 10 in the Olympics is fantastic, but I did hope for a higher placing," she said. Her goal was top five.
The race had been decided after the bike leg when a group of 20 went into the transition area together, leaving the race open to Snowsill and Fernandes, the two best runners.
Tanner said that any attacks on the bike were chased down. "Those attacks were always going to be chased down.
"Coming off the bike I knew we'd be all together."
The men's race is today, with New Zealand's chances in the hands of Bevan Docherty, Kris Gemmell and Shane Reed.
