NO OLYMPIC REGRETS

Q

You competed at the first Olympic triathlon at the 2000 Sydney Games and placed fifth. How did you feel about it as the reigning world champion going in?

A

I was disappointed. I went into that race as favourite but it was a little bit of an eye-opener and I knew I had to do another one to redeem myself within my own mind.

Q

That took you to the 2004 Athen Olympics where you won a silver medal after Geelongborn Austrian Kate Allen ran you down in the final metres. It may have looked like a difficult result but how proud were you?

A

Throughout my career I have never had any regrets. I knew Athens would be my last Olympics so I left no stone unturned and I had a great race. A few people thought the silver medal was disappointing but for me it had been a long journey and I had to overcome a lot of family tragedies along the way and different hurdles so to walk away with an Olympic medal meant the world to me.

Q

Is it true the Olympic organisers made the run leg about 100m longer in order to fit the grandstand in. A move that could have cost you the gold?

A

Yes but what do you do? They actually told us about it in the race briefing but it’s not something I thought about. I just had a bit of a chuckle afterwards. It was the running joke for a few hours after and I can still laugh about it now.