Equestrian: Tompkins left starry eyed by Federer

By KEVIN NORQUAY

Bubbly New Zealand Olympic Games equestrian rider Heelan Tompkins has been left starry eyed by world tennis No 1 Roger Federer.

Tompkins, 26, met the tennis star in a cafeteria at the athletes village after the opening ceremony, when she sat down at his table to eat a salad for "midnight munchies".

She did not realise who the Swiss flag bearer was, she said.

"I said what's your name, and he said Roger," she said.

"I go what do you do? And he said I play tennis.

"I thought, oh my God, Roger Federer. Oh my goodness I sitting next to Roger Federer, I think I'm in love!

"I think he thought I was quite cool because I was out late the day before my competition."

There was a meeting of minds when Federer told Tompkins - who is from dairying province Taranaki - he had been given a cow for winning Wimbledon.

"He was pleased because it gave the press something to write about, other than his personal life," she said.

"Of everyone in the Olympic village he is my most favourite athlete, I just think he's amazing."

Tompkins, who is at her first Olympic Games, has made the best start of the New Zealand team.

She was 13th after the dressage, then rode a clear cross-country round today to cement her place among the frontrunners.

When New Zealand rider Matt Grayling arrived at the table he put a dampener on the conversation.

"I asked him are you No 1, or No 2?" Grayling said. "I didn't want him to think he's world famous just like that. He's a good all round bloke, he was quite pleasant."

As a "true blue dairy farmer", Grayling was interested to hear about the cow.

- NZPA