Triathlon: Veteran Carter leads Docherty to double Olympic glory

By DAVID LEGGAT

ATHENS - Hamish Carter had two significant conversations before last night's historic Olympic men's triathlon triumph.

One was with his wife Marisa, the other with cycling gold medallist Sarah Ulmer. Both gave the Aucklander the same message before almost certainly his last big race.

It worked a treat as he strode to a stunning victory, just ahead of fellow Kiwi Bevan Docherty as they put together one of New Zealand's greatest Olympic occasions.

"They said have fun doing it," the 33-year-old Carter said last night.

"Do it because you love it. And that put me on the right track, settled me down so I wasn't going to freak out."

They were critical chats.

Carter, by his own admission, became too stressed ahead of the inaugural Olympic triathlon race in Sydney four years ago.

He was off his game, finishing 26th, which left him shattered.

Marisa and Ulmer, who won the 3000m individual pursuit cycling gold this week, made sure there would be no repeat.

It is the first time since the 1996 Atlanta Games that New Zealand has enjoyed a gold and silver medal finish in the same event.

That time it was three-day-eventers Blyth Tait and Sally Clark on the podium.

The only other occasion two New Zealanders have been on the dais in the same Olympic event was Peter Snell and John Davies finishing first and third in the 1500m final at Tokyo in 1964.

"Unbelievable," a beaming Carter said.

"The New Zealand team has been so powerful. Running down the finish I just couldn't believe it. Unbelievable."

Carter's victory lifts New Zealand's gold medal haul in Athens to three, after double scull rowers Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell and Ulmer.

Docherty's silver takes New Zealand's overall tally to four medals.

After crossing the finish line, Carter collapsed in a mix of exhaustion and sheer relief.

His reaction was understandable. It was a cut-throat race from the time the leaders emerged from the opening swim leg.

Carter was the poorest of the three New Zealanders in the field, plonking himself on his bike in 33rd place out of the field of 50.

But he soon made up for that and by the time he was donning the running shoes a few ticks over an hour later he was at the front of the field.

The gang of six which had set the pace - made up of Frenchman Frederic Belaubre, Swiss Olivier Marceau and Britain's Andrew Johns, plus eventual bronze medallist Sven Riederer of Switzerland and the two New Zealanders - was soon chopped in half.

Halfway through the 10km run, it was apparent New Zealand would get two medals.

One of the more fascinating parts of the race was the total control Carter and Docherty had over proceedings. None of the other big-name athletes made a charge.

Riederer was the only threat to the gold, but he was burned in the energy-sapping heat as they turned at the halfway point in the final 3.3km lap.

So it was a case of New Zealand 1-2, but which order?

Both looked strong, but Carter made the telling move in the last 400m, and the world champion Docherty had no answer.

Carter won in 1h 51m 7.73s, Docherty was close behind, and Riederer came in 25.53s later for the bronze.

There have been other victories for Carter in the three-leg sport. He has been world No 1, has won World Cup events and has a bronze medal from the Manchester Commonwealth Games two years ago.

But there are no prizes for guessing what he will treasure most with his retirement looming.

New Zealand's third competitor in the race, Christchurch's Nathan Richmond, crossed in 33rd spot, 6min 54.1s behind Carter.

He dropped from the lead group into the chasing bunch early in the 40km bike leg and couldn't recover, finishing with a distinct wobbling in his legs.

Carter would like to stick around for the weekend's closing ceremony. But he has more pressing matters.

His voice choking, he said he was heading home.

"I'm really looking forward to seeing my wife and kids," he said, wiping away a tear.

"I've been away from home seven weeks. Having a family just puts things in perspective.

"I can't wait to see them," he said of Marisa and children Phoebe and Austin.

But before he leaves Athens he'll have a celebration with his coaches and the New Zealand squad.

"I'm definitely going to have some fun because I've been living like a monk for so long," he said.

"It's such a relief it's all over because it's such a massive buildup."

Before the race, New Zealand head coach Mark Elliott was confident of success.

"If we don't medal? I'll be shaking my head," he said. He then watched a superb, all-embracing double act unfold to exceed even his wildest dreams.

Marisa was wild with joy at her husband's victory last night.

"He just deserves it. It's been a long time coming," she told the Herald.

Marisa, who watched the race with her parents and best friend, said she had been crying all week because she was worried about the event.

But last night there were no tears. "Amazingly I haven't cried. I think now I'm just happy."

Instead, it was her husband who needed a handkerchief. He called soon after the race was over and before the medal ceremony began. "He was so emotional ... he could hardly speak."