KEY POINTS:
One of New Zealand's best young triathletes is in a coma after being hit by a vehicle while training.
Anna Hamilton, one of four New Zealanders named last month to contest the women's under-23 event at the championships in Hamburg, Germany, this month was believed to have been hit from behind while on a solo training ride at Dairy Flat late last week.
A family spokesman confirmed Hamilton suffered head, neck and leg injuries in the accident and is likely to undergo surgery today following an improvement in her condition which left her in a coma after the accident.
It is understood her condition has improved in the past 24 hours but the next 48-72 hours are regarded as crucial in her recovery.
Hamilton, 21, and highly commended in the Herald Junior Sports Awards in 2005, was planning to leave this week for Europe to round off her championship preparations.
Trained by top multi-sport coach Chris Pilone who guided Hamish Carter to his 2004 Olympic triumph in Athens, Hamilton, head girl at Rangitoto College that year and a popular classmate of international swimmer Corney Swanepoel, had been named with Kelly Bruce (Maungaturoto), Sarah Bryant (Dunedin) and Jacqui Seebold (Auckland) to compete in the under-23 grade at the world championships.
She was third-placed at the 2004 world duathlon championships and was among a number of top multi-sport competitors from the school following Terenzo Bozzone on to the world stage. She was followed by world champion Rebecca Spence into the headlines.
The serious crash unit is investigating the accident, which apparently happened near roadworks.
