Multisports: Silver pair lead gutsy Kiwi effort

New Zealander Samantha Warriner, 34, turned in one of her best efforts to take silver in the women's triathlon. Picture / Chris Skelton

Led by gutsy silver medal-winning efforts from Sam Warriner and Bevan Docherty, New Zealand triathletes wrote another glorious chapter in the country's sporting annals.

Six New Zealanders went to the start line in the chase for Commonwealth Games glory but in the end were outgunned by Australian pre-race favourites, world champion Emma Snowsill and world No 1 Brad Kahlefeldt.

After the two strength-sapping races contested at break-neck speed, the worst of the New Zealand sextet was Olympic champion Hamish Carter.

He finished a brave sixth after Warriner and Docherty had been joined in the medal stakes by Andrea Hewitt in the middle of a two-three-four finish for the New Zealand women.

That result justified earlier plea-bargaining from the sport's hierarchy who, as part of the Athens Olympic debrief, pleaded for a three-woman team here.

Coach Chris Pilone said the National Olympic Committee agreed but with the proviso that they were expected to deliver.

"There is no doubt they did that," said Pilone, who is also Carter's personal coach. "Even more importantly, we showed we are getting real depth."

Of suggestions that the triathlon is a sport athletes turn to when they can't cut it in the individual sports, Pilone was dismissive.

"It is a genuine sport within itself. The trick is getting the balance right. Triathletes need to be lean and mean for the run and cycle but can't afford to lose all their body fat for the swim."

Whatever it takes, Snowsill and Kahlefeldt showed they had it.

Snowsill, seventh out of the water behind clear leader Suzanne Weckend (Canada), was soon part of the 12-strong bunch on the 40km bike leg.

In or near the lead on the 10km run, Snowsill dictated, dragging the New Zealanders with her as they shook off other big hopes Annabel Luxford (Australia) and England's Liz Blatchford.

In charging home with a 33m 50s run Snowsill, who once said "pain is my friend" delivered plenty of that to her rivals.

"I give everything to my training and racing," said Snowsill, who reminded everyone that her father is a New Zealander and shrugged off suggestions she is "bullet-proof".

"There were almost some tears," she admitted. "On the podium it was an amazing feeling to have my family and friends here. The home crowd made a difference."

Warriner, a two-time World Cup winner last year, turned in one of the best efforts of a long career, refusing to give in as she chased Snowsill and at the same time held off her team-mates.

"This means the world to me," said Warriner, 34, after claiming silver 36s after Snowsill had taken gold and 07s ahead of Hewitt, who is 11 years her junior.

"I didn't think I had a great swim but on the first kilometre of the run I thought I might have had a chance.

"My goal was to get to the podium," said Warriner, a trifle surprised she had been rated by the odds-makers as the worst of the New Zealand trio.

The men's race followed much the same pattern.

English hope Tim Don was first out of the 1500m wetsuit swim but there was nothing in it as a bunch of 16 quickly went to work on the cycle leg.

They remained together throughout, but it was Carter who stole the march through transition, surprising everyone when he jumped straight on his bike and headed off without a change of shoes, opting to ride the flat course in running rather than clipped-in cycle shoes.

But his lead was short-lived, as the charge came first from Peter Robertson, later Don and then Kahlefeldt, who followed Snowsill's lead in putting the hammer down midway through the hectic run for gold.

Docherty and Kris Gemmell hung tough as another transtasman battle evolved but in the end the rubber band broke and Kahlefeldt edged away to hold off the gallant Docherty by 10s, with Robertson a further 06s back.

Don, without ever looking comfortable, held on for fourth before Gemmell and Carter, equally brave, held their top six spots.

"It was too fast a run for me," said Carter. Being team captain and flag-bearer was not a distraction, he said.

"I tried to do the best I could. My main aim this year is the world championships."

Gemmell said Robertson had made it hard. "Without him it is an even race," said Gemmell, who improved one place from his Manchester effort four years ago.

"But those surges make it hard."