From Black Fern to silver fern

Tracy Lemon has completed a remarkable comeback from a crippling injury to represent her country again on the world stage, writes Daniel Markham
Tracy Lemon has represented her country on land and water and is now preparing to wear the silver fern on both in the same event. The former rugby player was a key member of the Black Ferns in the late 1990s and also brandished black at the 1998 world waka ama outrigging championships in Fiji. Lemon will become a triple international on November 19 when she takes part in the International Triathlon Union world age group championships in Canberra. Although she has completed a number of triathlons ? including three Iron Mans since ditching her rugby boots and canoe for trainers, swim cap and bike, the event will mark the first time she has donned national colours in the sport. Unsurprisingly, the Manukau Institute of Technology sports lecturer is excited by the prospect. ''It's a great honour to be a New Zealand representative again,'' she says. ''It's something I thought I would never be able to do again when my rugby career ended.'' Given the abrupt and painful nature of that ending, the fact Lemon is even capable of conquering a triathlon is a testament to her determination. The ex-Black Ferns hooker has had to recover from a gruesome hamstring injury ? the muscle detached itself from the bone ? that forced her to quit the game in 2000. She was told by surgeons it would take a year to learn to walk again. ''While lying on a hospital table, I made a list on a piece of tissue paper of 10 things I still wanted to achieve. I wrote down Iron Man because it seemed so out of reach at the time.'' That was the first step in a long journey of tireless training and sheer will which led to her first Iron Man in 2003. At that stage, merely completing the race was seen as a success, but it wasn't long before Lemon's competitive streak reared its head. ''When I started I was racing against myself but, as my confidence grew, my competitive nature took over and now I am competing.'' She has been picked by Triathlon New Zealand to race in the 35-39 age group in Canberra. Although the Kohimarama resident is currently focused on training to make sure she performs at her peak, she remains generous enough with her time to offer inspiration to others. Lemon is mentoring a group of work colleagues preparing for their first triathlon. ''After the amazing support I have had from everyone at the institute, it's great to give something back,'' she says. Her students could do worse than strive for the standards set by their mentor. While they are training to complete a 400m swim, 10km cycle and 3km run, she is getting ready to tackle a 4km swim, 120km cycle and 30km run in the Canberra competition.