Athletics: Docherty's best shot

Bevan Docherty. Photo / Rotorua Daily Post

The hard liquor will be out at the startline of the men's triathlon tomorrow in an attempt to calm Kiwi nerves.

Luckily, none of the racers will be imbibing.

Bevan Docherty's parents, Irene and Ray, are in Beijing to cheer their son on to go one better than his Olympic silver of four years ago.

"There's a bit of a family tradition where they get the Sambuca out before the race to help them calm the nerves before the big races," said Docherty.

The 31-year-old Taupo triathlete is back for his second Olympics, "older and wiser" than what he was in Athens when he became part of New Zealand sporting folklore with his one-two finish behind Hamish Carter.

"It's a long four years and I've had a lot of time to think about it and certainly this last preparation has been good," he said.

Not that the 2004 race will be motivating him. "It's what I have been doing my whole career [finding motivation]. There're a number of things that motivate me; obviously I set goals and I do it for my family, for my sponsors, for the New Zealand public but also for the people who don't believe in me and don't believe I can do it again."

As if to prove he still can get on the podium, Docherty has been in great form this year. He finished second in the world championships in Vancouver, storming home with a great run.

He says he will approach the race with his running strength in mind. "I'm assuming it's going to come down to the run. Anything can happen, it's the Olympics and you always get one or two guys trying to mix it up. But I'm going to play to my strengths and I'm going to wait to the run."

The 1500m swim, 40km bike and 10km men's race tomorrow will feature two other New Zealanders Kris Gemmell and Shane Reed.

The women's race today will be strongly contested by a trio of New Zealanders - Sam Warriner, Debbie Tanner and Andrea Hewitt.

Warriner comes into the race with the confidence she gained from a superb sprint finish for third at the world championships and a string of World Cup podium finishes this year.

The triathlon squad arrived in Beijing on Friday from their base on an island off Korea where they acclimatised to the heat and humidity expected in the Chinese capital.

Hewitt, a Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, said the camp was the perfect preparation and topped off the four-month build-up she had enjoyed since qualifying. She was particularly pleased with a fourth place in her last World Cup hit-out. Hewitt said she would aim to get out in front during today's race. "I want to be in that front group in the swim. I'll hopefully be in the mix and not having to work hard to make it up to the front."