Athens 2004 Men's triathlon
The swim
It was a non-wetsuit swim, water temp 25 deg C, ambient about 28 deg at 10am. Andy Potts (USA) was first out of the water, followed by Miyashiro (BRA) and Sysoev (RUS). No breakaways – most swimmers emerge only seconds behind.
The bike
Lap 1
The three leaders quickly lost ground on the bike. Eventual winner Hamish Carter (NZL) moved up from 33rd out of the water to near the top of the field on the first hill. Then a small breakaway group formed with Bevan Docherty (NZL), Belaubre (FRA), Henning (DEN) and three others. Marceau (SWI) is close behind, a few secs ahead of the rest led by Hamish Carter (NZL), Riederer (SWI), Raelert (GER) and Robertson (AUS).
Krommydas inspecting his bike before quitting
Krommydas (GRE) abandons the race at a wheel stop. A mechanical problem at the bottom of the first hill has caused his front brakes to jam. A big disappointment not only for him but also for the Greek crowds as he was the only Greek triatlete competing. The main group just behind the leaders spreads out after the second hill near Limanakia and the Lake of Vouliagmeni. Tim Don, Henning and Marceau are following a couple of seconds behind the leaders on the way back into Vouliagmeni. Blasco (FRA) and Robertson are a bit further back.
Lap 2
Into Vouliagmeni and back up the first hill. Robertson has moved up and is now in the lead with Carter, Docherty, Marceau and Riederer. Belaubre and Henning have fallen back into a chase pack where Tim Don and Andrew Johns are. Marc Jenkins (GBR), Sapunov (KAZ), McMahon (CAN) and Gonzalez (VEN) are in a 2nd chase pack and the Austrian Domnik is leading a 3rd chase pack. There are more rearrangements again on the 2nd hill at the 2nd lap at Limanakia as the riders from the 1st chase pack have bridged the gap to the leaders. Tayama (JAP) is now riding behind Carter and Riederer who are at the very front. Two seconds behind is Robertson with Docherty, Henning, Belaubre and Marceau. Further back is Tim Don and Andrew Johns. There are some 15 riders altogether here at the front.
Marc Jenkins
A bigger gap separates the 2nd chase pack from the leaders which cannot be bridged. It is led by Sapunov (KAZ), Llanos (ESP) and Sysoev (RUS).
Sapunov (KAZ), Llanos (ESP) and Sysoev (RUS) leading the 2nd chase group in lap 2.
Lap 3
In the 3rd lap further rearrangements bring Andrew Johns to the head of the lead group with Belaubre, Carter, Docherty, Marceau and Riederer. The 6 leaders form a tight group two abreast and three deep, taking turns to lead. This soon extends their lead over the rest of the riders.
Andrew Johns and Marceau at the front of the race with Riederer, Docherty and Belaubre behind as well as Carter who is not quite visible in 6th position in lap 3.
The 1st chase pack is being led by Tim Don and includes Robertson, Tayama, Raelert, Albert (EST), Bennett (AUS), Blasco (FRA) and Henning. Less organised than the 6 leaders, they lose a lot of ground during the 3rd lap to fall 30-32 secs behind the leaders. Still further behind there is a 2nd chase group 55 secs down on the leaders with former Olympic champion Whitfield (CAN), Llanos (ESP), Rana (ESP), Sysoev and Sapunov at its front.
Marc Jenkins has 4 spokes clipped from his rear wheel by a fellow competitor's quick release as he climbs the 2nd hill (near Limanakia). He puts his bike over his shoulder and runs uphill on his cleats then downhill to the next wheel stop about a kilometer down the road. By now he is out of contention but stays in the race.
Lap 4
During the 4th lap, the 6 at the front consolidate their 30 sec lead from the 1st chase pack led mostly by Tim Don. Petzold, who a couple of weeks ago won the Salford cup under rather different weather conditions, is riding a bit further behind on his own. He is attempting to bridge from the 2nd to the 1st chase pack, a tactic that worked for him in Salford. The 2nd chase pack is led by Llanos throughout the 4th lap while a 3rd chase pack led by the Austrian Domnik, with Dimitriy Gaag in it, enters T2 1 min and 25 secs behind the leaders. Still further behind are stragglers like Llobet, Lee, Moreira and Rosas.
The run
Lap 1Andrew Johns loses time in transition when the two New Zealanders and Riederer take off at the head of the race.
Belaubre and Marceau follow a few seconds behind. Bennet and Tayama overtake Andrew Johns in the first km of the run. They are followed by Raelert and Henning with Tim Don close behind. AJ and Tim look exhausted to say the least. AJ cannot keep up with those around him. Tim is punting in the heat - maybe not just to entertain the crowd. Jenkins also looks very worn out at the tail end of the field.
Lap 2
On the 2nd lap of the run Bennet overtakes Belaubre and Marceau, who have lost a lot of ground, to bring himself into 4th place behind the leaders.
Bennett (AUS) running now in 4th place.
He is running doggedly and seems to be coping better with the heat than almost anyone else. Tayama is still ahead of AJ who has been overtaken by Raelert and Henning and also by Blasco. Kemper (USA) and Thompson (AUS) from the 2nd chase pack are on his heels. AJ said after the race that he gave everything on the bike. Having been for the second half of the bike leg at the front of the race, he now seemed unable to hold off his rivals on the run. Tim Don was doing slightly better keeping his place behind Blasco for the first two laps. By the end of the 2nd lap Petzold was close behind him.
The Russian Sysoev, who had lost a lot of ground on the bike, has made a comeback on the run and is not far behind Tim along with Sapunov. Both of them had finished the bike some 30 secs behind Tim at the head of the 2nd chase pack
Marc Jenkins is running against the clock and the sheer heat now, well behind everyone else in the field.
Lap 3
On the 3rd lap the leading trio are running hard to keep their distance from Bennett who is running at a very fast pace in 4th place. By now temperatures have risen to about 32 deg C and even Bennett starts looking worse off in the heat. Belaubre is holding onto 5th. Raelert and Henning overtake Marceau. Tayama is losing ground and has fallen behind Thompson and Kemper who are now in 9th and 10th. Whitfield, having lost some 90 secs on the bike is now approaching Tayama in 11th place but is actually losing ground against the leaders.
Last 2 km and the 2 New Zealanders are upping the pace. They are flying over the tarmac and Riederer cannot keep up even as he seems to be doing his hardest. He appears contented to settle for 3rd place, if he can only hold off Bennett. Bennett is giving it his all and is running faster than Riederer. He is not far behind now and at this pace it seems a matter of time before he catches up. But time is running out and he will finish 4th, just 8 secs away from an Olympic medal.
Further back Whitfield and Poulat (FRA) have overtaken Tim Don and AJ. Sapunov is running on Tim’s heels some 3km before the finish. Sysoev has also overtaken Tim and with 1.5 km to go he flies past AJ. Tim finally loses the fight against Sapunov. Petzold and Llanos are now also closing in on him with a km to go. He holds them off to finish some 10 secs ahead of them in 18th place.
Tim Don with a bit over a km more to go.
AJ finishes in 16th, ahead of Sapunov. Effectively all he achieved on the bike was to help the Kiwis and Riederer to break away and eventually finish on the podium. The Brits’ hard work on the bike combined with the midday heat killed off their own chances of a medal. Marc Jenkins is last finisher. He is cheered on by everyone along the way. He crosses the finish line with the crowds applauding in a standing ovation his determination to complete the course despite his puncture on the bike that left him very much out of contention.
The pictures are low resolution of the originals, which are on film. There are many many more of higher resolution and better quality but not enough space here for more than just a few.
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