Gardner looking to impress in Hungary

PETER McDONALD

RUNNING ON: Upper Hutt's Sarah Gardner finishes the Wellington triathlon on Saturday morning. Gardner finished eighth in her 25 to 29 age group, and 14th overall, to earn selection for the New Zealand team competing in Budapest, Hungary, in September.

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Sarah Gardner has only raced two triathlons but the 25-year-old has already done enough in the three-sport discipline to earn New Zealand selection.

The Heretaunga resident is bound for Budapest in Hungary, to represent her country in the 25 to 29 year women's class, in September.

She earned national selection on Saturday where she performed strongly, finishing eighth in her age group and 14th overall.

"It feels pretty good ... quite an accomplishment," she says.

"I've never competed in an international field before and there'll be a field of over 280."

Gardner, 1.72m tall and weighing 57kg, completed the 1500 metre swim, 40 kilometre cycle and 10 kilometre run in two hours, 21 minutes and nine seconds, a time she was more than happy with despite coming a cropper on her cycle and losing valuable seconds.

Swimming is Gardner's "weakest" discipline. She came out of the water in 37th place from the field of 90 knowing there was plenty of work ahead.

The cycling brought gain and pain as she came in with the 19th best time before her favoured leg, the 10km run.

Gardner was rapt to finish first in the run, passing plenty of competitors as she worked her way to eighth place.

"The 10km is my strength and I knew I had to push hard with the run. I found the swim the hardest," she says.

A geography and social science teacher at Chilton St James, Gardner moved to triathlons after more than a decade of cross-country and road racing. She's a regular in the high profile cross-country event, the Dorne Cup. She has finished second or third in the past three years and is looking to take out the top spot at this year's race in June.

Gardner's athletic efforts before Saturday include a podium finish at the national sprint distance triathlon in Taupo last month.

She earned a New Zealand call up for Budapest there too and raced in Wellington knowing that was in the bag.

"I knew what I wanted and I'm choosing to compete in the Olympic distance event. It's more competitive," she says.

Gardner trains largely in four-week cycles, clocking up to 20 hours a week at the peak loads and always six days from seven.

"Yep, it's every day except Fridays."

While triathlon can be a solitary pursuit she does most of her training, especially running and swimming, with squads.

"Cycling is the one I do more by myself."

The nearby Whitemans Valley and Moonshine Hill are her favourite circuits.

Gardner will be busy as she gets ready for Budapest, with the elusive Dorne Cup coming up in a few weeks.

She says it will be her third triathlon "and the last for a while".

She will be also competing in the New Zealand Duathlon Champs in Christchurch in August.

- Upper Hutt Leader

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