Triathlon: It's all uphill for Williamson at world champs

Wellington triathlete Evelyn Williamson is chasing a "slim" chance of Olympics selection at this weekend's world championships in Madeira.

Williamson competed at the Sydney 2000 Games, where the sport made its Olympic debut, and the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games.

During that time her world ranking climbed into the top 30, but she was dogged with injury last year which resulted in an operation in Australia.

That sidelined her for the two Olympic qualifying races at the world championships in Queenstown and the Oceania championships in Tasmania.

With Whangarei's Samantha Warriner the only woman named in the New Zealand triathlon team for Athens, this weekend's championships on the Portuguese island off the coast of Africa offers a final opportunity for Williamson.

"Madeira is an idyllic destination so here's hoping it will prove that for Evelyn," New Zealand high-performance manager Mark Elliott said. "No one has worked harder to get here than her.

"To be fair, her chances are very slim, but she has crammed in the training since her return.

"And Ev's a fighter ... she will not give up."

The Athens Olympic qualification procedure will be calculated after Sunday's elite races to finalise the 50-strong line-up for the men's and women's fields.

New Zealand has only one spot, which has been taken up by Warriner, the world No 36, who won the warm-up world swim-run title this week in Madeira.

The bottom-placed triathlete qualified for Athens is on 1798 ranking points.

Williamson is sitting on 1213 after virtually 12 months without adding to the tally because of her injuries.

The world championships offer double points.

This means she will need to finish seventh or better if she is to have any chance of earning a second spot for New Zealand.

That performance would also convince the New Zealand selectors of her worth to be selected for the second spot.

A number of high-profile competitors already qualified for Athens have opted to bypass Madeira.

They include Olympic and Commonwealth Games champion Simon Whitfield and his fellow Canadian Jill Savege, defending champion Peter Robertson, three-time winner Michellie Jones and No 5-ranked Liz Blatchford (Australia), and their compatriot Emma Snowsill, who will not defend her women's title.

New Zealand again boasts a strong men's line-up at Madeira.

Top of the list is Taupo's Bevan Docherty, ranked No 2 in the world, followed by Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Hamish Carter, Kris Gemmell, Shane Reed, Matt Reed and Nathan Richmond.

North Harbour triathlete Terenzo Bozzone will attempt to leave the junior ranks with a remarkable third title in a row, and Dunedin's Sarah Bryant hopes to make it a Kiwi double in the under-19 race.

The elite juniors and age-group competitors compete from tomorrow, with the elite under-23 and seniors from Sunday.

New Zealand team

Junior men: Terenzo Bozzone (North Harbour), Caleb Hill (North Harbour), Ben Hoetjes (Christchurch), Ben Pattle (North Harbour), Martin van Barneveld (Wellington). Reserve: James Upton (Auckland).

Junior women: Sarah Bryant (Dunedin), Rebecca Spence (North Harbour), Anna Alvery (Auckland), Amy-Kelly Horsfall (Gisborne).

Under 23 men: Clark Ellice (New Plymouth), Luke Hoetjes (Christchurch), Sam Walker (Auckland), Craig Mathews (Dunedin), Will Green (Auckland). Reserve Sam Mallard (Wellington),

Under 23 women: Debbie Tanner (North Harbour), Kirsty Whiting (North Harbour), Taryn McLeod (Dunedin).

Elite men: Bevan Docherty (Taupo), Hamish Carter (Auckland), Kris Gemmell (Christchurch), Shane Reed (Gold Coast), Matt Reed (Colorado), Nathan Richmond (Auckland).

Elite women: Samantha Warriner (Whangarei), Evelyn Williamson (Kapiti Coast), Shanelle Barrett (Taupo).

- NZPA