Six-months pregnant Annie conquers triathlon

By Sandra Conchie
Annie Oliver didn't let being six months pregnant stop her from competing in the annual Bendon Women's Triathlon yesterday.
In 2004 and again last year the 29-year-old won the event, after being second in 2005, and every year since its inception she has won her age group.
"I have done a few triathlons in my time and usually in a season I'd do around a dozen, so I was determined not to miss out competing in this one.
"I checked with my midwife first, of course, and she told me if I felt up to it then it was okay. This is my event so I wanted to be there and finish in a good time."
Ms Oliver, who has won numerous age-group titles as well as winning the national triathlon championships and being the World Duathlon Champion in 2001, came home in 27th place out of field of 450 women.
But she was disappointed with her time of 51 minutes 18 seconds - a time most women would envy. It was well down on what she'd hoped for because she got a puncture not long into the bike ride.
"I was gutted because it meant I lost valuable minutes but I wasn't going to let that beat me, so I grabbed a spare wheel from someone with a mountain bike nearby and just rode as fast as I could."
The event - comprising a 400m swim, 10km cycle and then a 2.5km run - isn't for the faint-hearted but every year hundreds of women take part surprising themselves, their friends and relatives.
First-time competitor Matewai Karaka-Clarke had a rocky start after a car bowled her during her final training run along Marine Parade on Wednesday.
The 48-year-old teacher at Maungatapu Primary School was helped by a passing veterinarian but spent anxious moments lying on the road waiting for an ambulance.
"If it hadn't been for my cycle helmet I was told my injuries could have been far worse."
But despite bruised ribs, a "stuffed wrist" and scrapes and bruises up and down her legs, she was determined to make the start line, she said.
Race director Ken Knott said it couldn't have been a better day. Weather conditions were perfect, the health warning against swimming in Pilot Bay was lifted, sponsors were happy and a Tauranga competitor won the event.
Tauranga's Nicola McKay won in 33min 52sec, Te Puke's Dierdre Lack was second in 35min 56sec and Rotorua's Tanya Lee Parker was third in 36min 36sec.