Docherty fights for second Olympic medal

A determined and focused Bevan Docherty secured New Zealand’s third Olympic medal in consecutive Olympiads with bronze at Beijing today, backing up the two top ten finishes for the women yesterday to cap a good Olympics for the sport.

In one of the most intensive and competitive races seen in the sport’s history, Docherty dug deep and was in contention for gold as he and three others turned for the final 400m sprint to the finish line.

First to be dropped was world number one Javier Gomez as German Jan Frodeno and Canadian Simon Whitfield sprinted for the line with a spent Docherty unable to respond with a kick of his own and having to settle for third.

But it was a gallant third and a delighted Docherty who proudly draped the NZ flag over his shoulders and jumped with delight onto the podium to receive his medal, a bronze to go with his silver from Athens four years ago.

Docherty told Olympic.org.nz he was “super-happy” to get a medal. “I’m gathering quite a collection. I’ll have to go to London {the 2012 Olympics] to complete the set.”

He said the last part of the race had been a game of cat and mouse. “Mark [Elliott, his coach] told me before the race that it would be all about patience, and I’m normally an impatient person. There were surges all through the race, but I knew it would come down to the last lap.

“It was a bit worrying that there were four in the mix until near the end.”

Docherty also paid tribute to the other two New Zealanders, Gemmell and Reed, particularly Reed, for assisting him on the bike leg. “I respect the sacrifices they made to help me try to win.”

The New Zealander has now won a world title, Olympic silver and bronze medals and a Commonwealth Games silver.

Of the other Kiwis Kris Gemmell finished in 39th place after having to stop early on the run to repair strapping on his foot, it was a stop Gemmell didn’t recover from and ultimately the effects of the cut suffered two weeks ago took too much of an edge off his running legs.

Shane Reed finished in 34th after leading the field out of the water and working hard on the bike leg to assist both Gemmell and Docherty, it was a strong contribution from the quietly spoken New Plymouth athlete.

Beijing 2008 Olympic Games - Men's Triathlon
Gold - Jan Frodeno (GER)
Silver - Simon Whitfield (CAN)
Bronze - Bevan Docherty (NZL)
4th - Javier Gomez (ESP)
5th - Ivan Rana (ESP)
6th - Daniel Unger (GER)
7th - Hunter Kemper (USA)
8th - Rasmus Henning (DEN)
9th - Igor Sysoev (RUS)
10th - Frederic Belaubre (FRA)
Plus
34th Shane Reed (NZL)
39th Kris Gemmell (NZL)