Whitfield targets 'Tiger Woods of triathlon'

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Story Contents

• Incredible feat
• 'Javier isn't going to fade'
• Inspiration

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Javier Gomez emerged from the water 17 seconds ahead of Simon Whitfield at last years triathlon world championships in Germany. But before he strapped on a helmet and laced up his cycling shoes for the next segment of the race, the Spanish athlete turned and smiled at the Canadian.

"My response was, Touch!" recalls Whitfield, who finished fourth that day, two spots behind Gomez. "Javier had a really strong swim."

That small gesture in Hamburg still motivates Whitfield. "I dont want to be left behind in Beijing," he says about the Summer Games. "I want to beat Javier. He is the best competitor the sport has ever seen. Hes become the Tiger Woods of triathlon."

Gomez, 25, finished last season ranked first in the world, and has won eight of his last 10 events. "He has raised the bar in triathlon," says Brian Mahony, the International Triathlon Unions media director. "Before, a competitor could be weak in one discipline and still fare well overall, but not anymore. Gomez is strong in swimming, cycling and running."

Incredible feat

At a World Cup event in New Zealand in April, Gomez finished a full 30 seconds ahead of his nearest competitor, Australian Brad Kahlefeldt. Also in that race, he completed the 10-kilometre run in an impressive 29 minutes, 37 seconds.

"Doing the run in less than 30 minutes was an incredible feat," says Mahony, "especially considering the course was very hilly."

Mahony later spoke to Kahlefeldt, who finished the run in 30.11 seconds. "Brad, who is a strong runner, told me he had the best run of his life in New Zealand. But he still couldnt beat Gomez. He said to me, I dont know what to do. Ill just have to go back to the drawing board and figure something out.

"Gomez just blew the field away," adds Mahony. "It scared some of the other athletes."

Whitfield watched the race on the Internet from his home in Victoria, B.C. "Javier decimated a top-class field," he remembers. "I woke up the next morning feeling more determined than ever."

Whitfield then ran a familiar route through Beacon Hill Park, sprinting past water fountains, picnic areas and playgrounds. For the first time ever, he completed the course in less than eight minutes.

'Javier isnt going to fade

"Sometimes, I start to fade during training," Whitfield admits. "When that happens, I just say to myself, Javier isnt going to fade so you cant either. You have to keep going."

Whitfield is one of the few competitors who stand a chance of beating Gomez in Beijing.

The 33-year-old Canadian, who finished last season ranked second in the world, has a strong finishing kick. He used it to clinch gold at the 2000 Sydney Games, and it could help him pass Gomez en route to the medal podium in Beijing.

"Gomez seems to have just one gear in the sprint finish," says Mahony. "About five kilometres into the run, he kicks it up a notch and stays at that speed until the end. So, if Simon is close at the five-kilometre mark he might be able to pass Gomez. Simon has a great chance, if hes in top form on race day."

Whitfield is in fine form at the moment. He has put his disappointing 11th place finish at the 2004 Athens Games behind him he made a costly tactical error in the cycling segment of the event and is running faster now then he was eight years ago.

He has also improved his swimming. "When Javier stands up to get out of the water in Beijing," Whitfield says, "Ill stand up too."

At least, thats the plan.

Of course, its impossible to predict the outcome of a triathlon. "There are just too many variables," says Mahony, who notes that a flat tire in the cycling segment of the race could put a competitor out of contention.

Inspiration

Whitfield is working on the assumption that both he and Gomez will be in the race in Beijing at the bitter end with the Canadian one step ahead.

To ensure that happens, Whitfield has been putting in long hours on the road, in the water and on a treadmill in a shed in his backyard.

On the wall in front of the machine hangs a memento from a World Cup event last fall a sign bearing the words, "Javier Gomez." Whitfield took it from the transition area of the race, and brought it home to use as inspiration.

On his blog, Whitfield confessed to stealing the sign and, he assured Gomez, "youll be hearing from me.

"Javier is soft-spoken and humble about his success. Hes impossible to dislike," says Whitfield. "But I want to beat him in Beijing. What is it American swimmer Gary Hall Jr. once said? If you don't beat him in the pool, you beat him in the parking lot."

Then Whitfield laughs. He's joking, sort of.