18 Oct 2012

Docherty reckons injury-free run no help now

12:51 pm on 18 October 2012

This weekend's triathlon Grand Final brings an end to a long and gruelling season for the athletes.

It is of course an Olympics year, which has been the main priority for most of the competitors - with the men's World Series leader Jonny Brownlee admitting his bronze medal at the London Games means more than the overall title would, should he finish ahead of silver medallist Javier Gomez to claim the series on Sunday.

Taupo's Bevan Docherty, in 14th place, is out of the running for the championship - and ironically, Docherty thinks his injury-free season counts against him.

And while he can't look past the series leaders from Britain and Spain to take the title, Docherty says those triathletes who've suffered injury setbacks may actually be more competitive in Sunday's big race.

Docherty says the rest will have those competitors peaking, while the likes of himself and others who've remained injury-free are tired from the long season.

He says his chances depend on the weather as he doubts he has the speed to catch the series leaders on the final run leg, unless there's carnage before that. Rain is predicted for the men's final.