With all 110 athletes confirmed for Beijing, the ITU has announced the start numbers and transition area positions for the triathlon at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. The draw took place in Kitzbühel, Austria, site of the final world cup before the Beijing Olympics. It was conducted by Olympic Technical Delegates Gergely Markus and Enrique Quesada and Beijing race referee Thanos Nikopoulos.

All countries were in sealed envelopes and randomly drawn one by one. The draw determined the allocation of the race numbers and the position of the athletes in transition. As each nation was drawn, the numbers were assigned to all athletes from that nation. The athletes from the same nation will be next to each other in the transition area.

The process was separate for both the women’s and men’s fields. The number 13 was not assigned so number 56 is the final start number.

In the women’s draw, Italy was the first country pulled which means Charlotte Bonin will wear the number one start number. Germany was pulled second, followed by Switzerland. Defending Olympic gold medalist Kate Allen will wear #11 as Austria was the fifth country pulled. New Zealand’s was the tenth country drawn as Andrea Hewitt, Debbie Tanner and Sam Warriner will wear numbers 25, 26, and 27 respectively. The reigning world champion going into Beijing Helen Tucker will suit up with number 31 as Great Britain was the 13th country drawn. Immediately after Australia was pulled, meaning Erin Densham, Emma Moffatt and Emma Snowsill will wear numbers 32, 33, and 34 respectively. The Americans Laura Bennett, Julie Ertel and Sarah Haskins will occupy numbers 40, 41, and 42. Portugal was among the final countries drawn so Vanessa Fernandes will wear number 54.

Click here for the final women’s Olympic start list

For the men, South Africa was drawn first, which gives Hendrik De Villiers the number one start number. Then the Netherlands’ Sander Berk will wear number two as the second country drawn. Great Britain’s Alistair Brownlee wears number 36, with Will Clarke number 36 and Tim Don number 37. Australia was the eighth country pulled meaning Courtney Atkinson and Brad Kahlefeldt will wear numbers 11 and 12 respectively. The Aussie pair will be close to the Canadian team that was drawn next with 2000 Olympic gold medalist Simon Whitfield assigned number 16. The U.S. was the 13th country randomly selected as the country’s representatives in Beijing, Hunter Kemper, Matt Reed and Jarrod Shoemaker will occupy numbers 21 to 23. New Zealand was the 15th country drawn as Bevan Docherty, Kris Gemmell and Shane Reed will wear numbers 27, 28 and 29 respectively. Newly crowned world champion Javier Gomez will suit up in his first Olympics wearing number 30. A trio of big countries followed after Spain, including Germany & France.

Click here for the final men’s Olympic start list.

If you liked this article, why not subscribe to TrispaceRSS Feed