Sam Warriner Flies Home to NZ Due to Broken Rib

2008 World Number 1 Triathlete, Sam Warriner, tomorrow flies home to NZ,
the defense of her World Cup Championship shattered by the news she's
sustained a broken rib in training.

Sam was involved in a crash three weeks ago, while out riding in Los
Angeles. Sam and a training partner were struck by a stationary car door
being opened into a cycle way. At the time the diagnosis was severe
bruising of her back and kidneys, but after a career worst 31st place in
Des Moines this past weekend Sam underwent more tests and discovered a
broken rib. The fracture has caused a fluid leak into the pleural cavity,
restricting the expansion of her lungs.

Sam knew something wasn't right after Saturdays $200,000 Hy-Vee World Cup
race in Des Moines, Iowa, exiting the 1.5km swim she almost blacked out
through lack of oxygen but the determined Kiwi battler fought on
regardless.

The following day the Kiwis were to field what was expected to be the
strongest team in the World Teams Championship, a 4 person relay race over
the shorter sprint distance. Sam joined Bevan Docherty, Kris Gemmell, and
Andrea Hewitt in what most thought would be a sure medal winning team.

Sam however recognised something wasn't right and offered to step a side
and have one of the NZ 'B Team' take her place, feeling Kate McIlroy or
Rebecca Spence could potentially out perform her on the day. But it
wasn't to be, the feeling amongst the elite team was that they'd all come
through the ranks together and wanted Sam in this one off, showcase event.
Kris Gemmell spent some time convincing Sam to race the evening before
the event.
A bitter pill to swallow now after having been reported to have been the
Achilles heal of the A Team, when all the time battling through the event
in agony carrying a broken rib.

Sam will now spend 2 weeks in NZ in order to fully recover from the injury
and then her sights will shift to the American 'Race to the Toyota Cup'
series. A five race series in the USA culminating in The Toyota Dallas
Open on 11th October. After that Sam will have one last chance at a World
Title in 2009 in the Clearwater 70.3 World Championships, raced over the
Half Iron man distance.

“I'm absolutely devastated. After such a great year last year winning the
ITU World Cup overall, this year was supposed to be all about fun, trying
different races, and just enjoying the sport I love. But I've been stung
by a stingray the day before a race in April, I crashed in the very first
ITU World Championship Race in Korea, and now this.”

“I've been in pain ever since the crash, but just figured that was the
bruising, everybody kept telling me this was normal for bruised ribs so I
just tried to battle through it. Training has been affected quite abit,
there's been times my backs gone into spasm at the beginning of a session
and I've had to stop. I've just cried when that happened because I knew
it was affecting my performance.”

“I was gutted to finish 31st in Des Moines but I just couldn't bring
myself to quit the race, and then afterwards I knew something wasn't
right.”

“When the others said they wanted me to stay in the team and race for them
it did make me feel good. We're great friends and I can see why they
wanted me in there, but at the same time I just wanted what was best for
the team and deep down I knew one of the other girls may have been a
better option.”

“All I can say is I gave it my absolute best effort, just like I do in any
race.”

“With the shorter nature of the race, the intensity was right up there,
and the pain was too! I was in real agony racing but just wanted to do
what was best for the team.”

“I'm down but I'm not out. One of my favorite bands is Coldplay, and all
I keep signing at the moment is their song Lost, 'Just because I'm losing,
doesn't mean I've lost'. I know I'll be back racing soon.”