Hanlen recovers for shot at games

CLEARED: Whakatane's Karen Hanlen is a late addition to the New Zealand Commonwealth Games team. PHOTO/FOTOENGINEERS

Whakatane Olympian Karen Hanlen has been added to the Commonwealth Games mountain bike team after successful surgery.

Hanlen underwent surgery last month, following an ongoing leg problem, and is now back on track for Glasgow.

The New Zealand Olympic Committee gave her the green light yesterday to join Queenstown's Kate Fluker in the women's cross country race in Scotland.

It marks a roller-coaster year for the London Olympian who contemplated retirement this year, after she was unable to overcome health issues.

She was recording slow opening laps and was suffering from leg pain in her races.

BikeNZ and High Performance Sport medical staff believed the problem related to narrowing in the main artery in her leg, a medical issue that is not uncommon with cyclists because of their riding position. The surgery last month was a success. BikeNZ high performance director Mark Elliott said Hanlen was back on her bike and on target for Glasgow.

"It's a real relief for Karen because she has had issues for the last couple of years and unable to pinpoint the reasons for her slow opening lap in races that would see her drift back through the field," Elliott said.

"She already feels the benefits and her training programme has her back on track for Glasgow.

"Even with this issue, her results in New Zealand and the world cup were sufficient to earn a nomination, which has been supported by the New Zealand Olympic Committee."

Hanlen plans to head to Europe next month for a lead-up race ahead of the Commonwealth Games. She joins fellow mountain bikers Anton Cooper, Sam Gaze and Fluker for the cross country race on Tuesday July 29.