Triathlete Amy Stretton 'devastated' following two-year ban for incorrect race time

Amy Stretton (3rd from left), New Zealand age-group triathlete, competing in the Long Distance Triathlon World Championships in Oklahoma in September this year. Photo / triathlon.org

Kiwi age-group triathlete Amy Stretton is devastated after being suspended for two years by Triathlon New Zealand for providing an incorrect time at a world championship event.

Her Auckland coach is adamant Stretton is capable of swimming the time and said she wasn't given a chance to defend herself at the TriNZ disciplinary commission.

The commission handed down a two year ban from all competitions after finding Stretton's time was not genuine and that it was likely she acted deliberately, given the absence of any explanation to the contrary.

Stretton, a physical education teacher at Onehunga High School, posted a swim time of 55min 27secs for 4km in the 30-34 age group at the Oklahoma ITU long distance world championships in September. She was more than eight minutes faster than the leading elite female at the end of the swim.

She completed the rest of the course - a 120km bike ride and 30km run - but was disqualified on race day "due to an inconsistently fast swim which indicated the athlete did not complete the entire swim course," the International Triathlon Union said on its website.

That decision was later overturned on an appeal. The ITU then raised concerns with Triathlon NZ, requesting verification of Stretton's ability to swim the recorded time.

Triathlon NZ could not justify the time and while not in a position to overturn the result, held a hearing on December 12. Prior to the hearing the ITU reinstated Stretton's original disqualification.

The TriNZ disciplinary commission found Stretton's swim time was not genuine and in a decision posted on its website said she "either acted deliberately to obtain such a time, or subsequent to completing the event she has refused to acknowledge the inaccuracy of a time which cannot be right".

TriNZ said Stretton elected not to attend the disciplinary hearing but Stretton's swim coach Jane Logan was adamant the time was correct and Stretton wasn't given a chance to argue her case.

But the disciplinary hearing decision noted that Stretton said she would not be attending the meeting.

"I have given my evidence and that is all I need to do," she said. "I know that I can easily swim that time and that's the main thing.

"I can be contacted via email at anytime but you all go ahead and decide what you want to do."

But Logan claims the decision was a total shock.

"We had no idea that there was a commission of inquiry. We weren't approached at all, she wasn't approached. It's just a mystery."

Stretton's initial disqualification was overturned after her race time and place at the front of the pack was verified by a course boatman.

"The boatman out on the course verified that she had done the three circuits," Logan said.

"Because she was out in the lead for the whole three circuits that's why they could verify that it was a woman. It was Amy, it wasn't a man that was out in front."

Logan said Stretton was more than capable of achieving the race time and explained she regularly completes twice the course distance in just under two hours at training.

"This morning for instance, at training she did 8km and she would have averaged 1min27sec per 100 metres. So, that 55:27 is totally realistic. Very realistic in a race.

"Her 8km this morning was just under two hours."

Logan said the penalty had left Stretton "totally gutted" and concerned for both the damage done to her reputation and the impact it might have on her career.

"She is really worried about her reputation and feels she has been discredited and worried about how it might affect her employment.

"She is probably the hardest trainer I have had in a decade or more. She just works her butt off five times a week.

"Rather than say anything drastic, I'd say we just don't understand. We just don't understand why we weren't given the opportunity to answer to it.

"She's just devastated."