Proof that sport does cruelty better than most other aspects in life will be seen in the fact that tonight at the athletes' village, Samantha Warriner and Andrea Hewitt will be wearing medals around their necks but Debbie Tanner will not.
But it wasn't for want of trying.
Down the blue
path to the finish line, Tanner and Hewitt, both 23, were engaged in a sprint for bronze.
It was winner takes all and Hewitt just hung on.
Tanner's time will surely come again, though.
"I just put everything into that last sprint," an elated Hewitt said. "I knew I had to just hang on for as long as I could."
Hewitt looked like she might have paid dearly for her efforts to go with race winner and half-New Zealander Emma Snowsill when Warriner had already dropped off her shoulder. Slowly but surely Hewitt dropped back once Australian Snowsill's pace had broken her and the fast-finishing Tanner had her in her sights.
"I thought maybe I could have passed her when I caught her but she hung on and hung on," said Tanner. "We just sort of toyed with each other just before the finish line and it came down to a sprint finish. She had the legs in the last two metres."
Tanner wasn't letting any disappointment get in the way of the feel-good vibe: "I mean, awesome. Second, third and fourth. Kiwi women are showing the public that we are up there with the men as well.
"We can follow in their footsteps because New Zealand has got the best triathletes in the world."
Tanner was the first New Zealander out of the water in 12th, followed by Warriner, 15th, and Hewitt, 16th. None of them had any trouble keeping in the lead group on the bike leg.
Tanner said cold legs coming off the bike forced her to drop off the lead group of four early in the run.
It was also something Snowsill complained of, saying she didn't feel good until halfway into the 10km run.
"My feet were cold and I couldn't get my legs into a good rhythm to run," Snowsill said.
But the Gold Coast athlete found her legs in time.
- HERALD ON SUNDAY
