University

04 Nov 11

Iffley Road, where the New Zealand triathletes will be based in summer 2012

Oxford University will host the New Zealand Triathlon team as they compete in the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The sporting facilities at Iffley Road attracted the New Zealand team, who will use the Iffley Road swimming pool, the Bannister 400 metre running track and nearby cycling routes.

‘Having these athletes here will be very exciting for everyone and we are delighted that the New Zealand triathlon team have chosen to use our sporting facilities,’ said Jon Roycroft, director of sport at the University. ‘We believe a squad of around six or seven actual athletes will be here with a support crew of eight or nine.

‘We are proud that Iffley Road caters for student athletes, staff and Oxford residents and we hope that the interest surrounding the Olympics will help our fundraising efforts as we seek to expand our provision of space for indoor sports and improve the grandstand at Iffley Road.’

New Zealand’s team has not yet been selected, but the country boasts a strong pedigree in the triathlon. Male triathletes in recent years include Hamish Carter, who won triathlon gold in Athens in 2004, and Bevan Docherty, who took the silver in Athens, bronze in Beijing and was crowned world champion in 2004. Its female triathletes have included Andrea Hewitt and Debbie Tanner who both came in the top ten in the Beijing Olympics in 2008 (8th and 10th respectively).

The New Zealand athletes will be pitting their wits against what is expected to be the strongest British triathlon squad since the sport became a part of the Olympic Games in 2000. Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee claimed a one-two in this year’s world championship and they formed half of Britain’s ITU Team Triathlon World Championship-winning team, which also included Helen Jenkins and Jodie Stimpson.

Further information on the University’s involvement in the Games, throughout history and today, is available on the new Olympics pages.