An emotional Jodie Swallow said she had no regrets about competing in Athens despite a miserable Olympic triathlon debut.
The 23-year-old, who came to Greece with huge question marks over her fitness, looked exhausted after finishing 34th in the gruelling swim-bike-run endurance test.
”It was pretty awful and I feel absolutely awful for various reasons, but all credit to myself - I toughed it out,” she said.
Michelle Dillon, Great Britain’s top-ranked triathlete, finished the highest of Team GB’s three women in sixth place after a strong final leg in the ten kilometre run.
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Julie Dibens was down in 30th place having spent her resources trying to propel Dillon up the standings.
Dillon’s display was encouraging, particularly after the 31-year-old complained of dirty tactics from competitors trying to pull down the zip on her swimsuit and dunk her head under the water.
But amid all the talk of cat fights in the waters of Vouliagmeni Bay, Swallow - who won silver in the Athens test event last year - remained the focus of attention after a disappointing performance.
Swallow’s selection for the team raised more than a few eyebrows as she had not competed in a triathlon since the turn of the year, and hopes of proving her fitness were ruined after she crashed out in the bike leg of a World Cup event in June.
Swallow was only confirmed in the team after a fitness review prompted by an appeal from reserve Andrea Whitcombe - who won the recent London triathlon - against the decision in May via the Sports Dispute Resolution Panel.
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Swallow admitted she had been on an ”emotional roller coaster” in the build-up to the Games but said that given the chance again she would have not stepped aside for Whitcombe.
”No, I qualified outright,” said an emotional Swallow.
”I got the best qualifying criteria and nobody will forfeit their first Olympic Games to let somebody else race.
”I think obviously I missed out on a lot of base training work, but it’s not just the injuries but a lot of these traumas that have occurred coming up to this event.
”To be honest, it’s been an emotional rollercoaster and to prepare for the biggest thing in your life it’s not been easy.
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”My aim was to come out here, learn from the experience and then move on.
”I’ve finished what I set out in the year to do and that’s what I’ve done.
”I’m not going to beat myself up about it, I’ll be back and everybody will see how this has worked to a positive way.”
Swallow was in eighth place after an impressive swim, before plummeting down the field.
Dillon was pleased with her recovery from an eventful 1,500m swimming leg, where she apparently fell victim to all sorts of horseplay.
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The massage therapist, who ran the 10,000 metres for Australia in the 1994 Commonwealth Games, made up a little ground on the 40-kilometre cycling leg and then clawed her way up the rankings with a determined run.
”I’m pleased. I ran really strongly towards the end,” she said.
”I thought I had a reasonable swim, the only thing was people were pulling my zipper down in the swim, obviously trying to pull me back, which is really disappointing.
”I couldn’t believe people were actually doing that.”
Dillon could not identify the culprits among the flailing arms and legs.
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”It could have been a Spanish girl but I couldn’t see,” she added.
”Luckily the zipper didn’t come down and once I got onto the bike I was okay, but I just didn’t have the energy to go through and do the work.
”It happened midway through the swim. People were pulling my legs back, pulling my zipper down and putting my head under water and things like that.
”I was swallowing heaps of water. If I find out who it was, I’ll get them.”
The triathlon, which only made its Olympic debut in Sydney, enjoyed a superb crowd turnout.
And supporters were treated to a spectacular finish.
Organisers did their best to pump up the atmosphere by announcing the 50 athletes one by one at the start amid a background of rap music.
The event is arguably sport’s toughest endurance test, and the course designers ensured it is was tough as possible with a punishing 700 metres hill on the bike leg, a feature which broke the spirits of many of competitors.
Winner Kate Allen thrived on the test though, the Australian-born Austrian making up a remarkable two minutes and 48 seconds on the run leg to steal the gold medal from Loretta Harrop of Australia in a sprint finish.
Susan Williams from America claimed the bronze medal, finishing 25.47 seconds behind Harrop.