Hamish Carter

Hamish Carter was born on 28 April 1971 in Auckland
He attended Auckland Grammar School from 1985-1989, where he was a successful rower and long-distance athlete, but turned to triathlons when he realised he was not big enough to compete at a senior level as a rower.
Hamish first competed in a triathlon at Whangamata in 1991, finishing in the top ten.
By 1994 Hamish was the top triathlete in New Zealand, despite breaking his collarbone in a cycling accident.
Competing internationally over the next ten years, Hamish dominated triathlons in New Zealand and won 12 World Cup races to be ranked number one in the world for the years between 1997-2000. However in that time he did not win a world or Olympic title.
He went to the Sydney Olympics in 200 with that number one ranking, but ran a poor race, finishing 26th.
At the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester Carter won the bronze medal, and won selection for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
In pre-games training, under New Zealand coach Mark Elliott, Hamish and fellow New Zealander concentrated on strength training, especially for the tough, hilly Athens course.
The night before his race, Hamish talked to cyclist Sarah Ulmer, who told him to relax and enjoy himself.
Bevan Docherty was race favourite, having won the world championships in May in Madeira, and two World Cup races.
However Carter, despite a relatively slow start in the 1.5 km swim where he came out of the water in 33rd place, managed to stay in touch with the leading group, and in the tough 40 km bike leg rode the fastest time to take a place in the leading group of six riders, alongside Bevan Docherty.
As the 10 km run set off, the leading group of six became three, including both New Zealanders. With one kilometre to go the New Zealanders took the lead together, but it was Hamish Carter who won the gold medal in a time of 1 hour, 51 minutes, 07.73 seconds. Docherty won silver, almost 8 seconds behind.
Hamish won selection for the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne after qualifying at the World Triathlon Championships in Japan in 2005, and was chosen to be team captain and flag bearer.
At Melbourne, on a flat course more suited to the speedier competitors, Hamish was 10th out of the water, improving his position to 7th in the bike ride, and finishing 6th overall. He came in just behind fellow Kiwis Kris Gemmell who finished in fifth place, and Bevan Docherty who came home in second place to win the silver medal.
Hamish is married to Marisa, a former triathlete, and they have two children, Austin and Phoebe. They live in Mt Eden, in Auckland.
A normal day’s training may include a 4 km swim, a two-hour bike ride, and a half hour jog.
Hamish is a mentor in the Air New Zealand Inspiring New Zealanders scholarship programme which gives young athletes travel funding and the opportunity to spend time with a high-achieving athlete for motivation and inspiration.

Sources

Hamish Carter inspires young talent, by Lorraine Thomson, in New Zealand Fitness, February/March, 2006, pp 8-9.
The race of his life, by Joseph Romanos, in Listener, September 11-17 2004, vol. 195, no. 3357, pp 54-55
Those who made a difference, North and South, January 2005, p 64.
Air New Zealand Inspiring New Zealanders website
New Zealand Olympic Committee website