BBC One: Day 8: 08.45-11.20 Olympics

COMMENTATOR: It is a new world record! Great Britain have won the

COMMENTATOR: Victoria Pendleton Great Britain deliver, Katherine

Day seven was another golden one to enjoy. But could today deliver a

first track and field medal for Team GB? High hopes for Mo Farah

and Jessica Ennis. But, either way, sit back and enjoy a Super Saturday

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 61 seconds

So much to look forward to today. Here's how it all pans out across

the day. We'll be live with the triathlon in

Hyde Park at 9am this morning. Great hopes there for Britain's

begin here on BBC One, from 11.30am. A chance of British medals again,

as the men's four look to make it four in a row for the flagship boat.

This morning, it's athletics on BBC Three, at 10am. Usain Bolt will be

on the track just after 12.30. Jess Ennis leads in the heptathlon,

she'll have the long jump and javelin to negotiate this morning.

Cycling has already delivered two British golds. Now, Ed Clancy will

hope to add omnium gold to the men's team pursuit title he won on

Friday. And then, later tonight, there's

the all important 800 metres for Jess Ennis, just after 8.30pm. And

Mo Farah goes in the men's 10,000 First for us, it's the women's

triathlon, where Helen Jenkins enters the race as the reigning

world champion. With Britain's Brownlee brothers also top

contenders in the men's event on Tuesday, it's well worth brushing

up on the ins and outs of what could be a successful sport for

Triathlon. A triathlon in a race divided into three different

disciplines. This third element is a 1,500m open

water swim. Contact is accepted unless it is considered to be

unfair for a deliberate attempt to impede. Competitors will look to

use slipstream to conserve energy. It can significantly improve

performance in this discipline and in the other disciplines.

A cycling, the transition period is he, in the hope of gaining an

advantage before a 40 kilometre bike ride. Specialist bicycles are

used, strong and extremely light, particularly important as any fault

in the equipment can finish the challenge. Athletes can cycle as a

large group and conserve energy with riders reaching speeds of over

30 miles per hour. Some riders may form a breakaway to get a head

start in the next phase. For the race is won and lost been

his final discipline, a 10 kilometre run. The first three to

cross the line will claim the medals.

Do if you would like to get involved in a live exports, more

information is on our website. That's how it all works. And here,

to help guide us through the race in the studio, is British

triathlete and four-time World Ironman champion, Chrissie

Wellington. It is an endurance event, what does

it take to win a gold medal? Triathlon is a demanding event, it

takes a considerable amount of time spent training and preparing.

Fortunately, Britain has really high medal hopes in both the

women's and men's. We are focusing on Helen Jenkins but it is a strong

team. Definitely. Helen has shown great ability to cope under high

pressure situations. She is double world champion and has shown great

form. A strong medal contender. does the team work. Vicky Holland

and Lucy Hall. Vicky is a strong athlete in her own right. Lucy Hall

is extremely fast, she will try to aim to get to the front of the

swimming pack, to help Helen go with her. Her role is that to have

a strong swimmer -- swim. Here they are, getting ready, at the side of

the Serpentine. They are in wet suits. The temperature in the

Serpentine has been fluctuating. In a triathlon, Olympic distance,

anything below 20 degrees mean they should wear wet suits. They give

added buoyancy. We will see a faster swim, but slower transition

because they need to take the wet suit off. It will also help the

weaker for Ms -- swimmers. Only another five minutes before

the race gets underway. So let's hear from Helen Jenkins herself.

How does the best triathlete in the world prepare herself for the

biggest race of her life? You want to treat it like any other race.

But there is a lot more going on around it, it is a lot more

important. But, it comes down to the same amount of distance, so

that is what I have to focus on. It is the same every race. She has

been here before, as Helen Tucker, she was reigning world champion

going into the Beijing Olympics but finished outside the top 20.

COMMENTATOR: Helen Tucker, disappointed, 21st position. Going

into Beijing, I was so happy to be there, and hadn't raced in the

previous year because of injury. I didn't have my best performance.

This time, it is different. I really want to win a medal, to

achieve what I think I can do. COMMENTATOR: Helen Jenkins will go

into the Olympics on a monster high. This time, they have built a team

around Helen, who can protect her before the run. Other teams have

used it in the past. I am confident we have prepared individually and

can execute a great race. Having that time together has helped and

motivated us. If it happens to be made crossing the line, they will

have helped me. The three of us are trying to win a medal for the

British triathlon. The 4th member of the team will be the huge crowd

cheering them on every inch of the way.

COMMENTATOR: Jenkins, cruising home, It is important to use the support

and carry us forward. We have to appreciate it. Let's make the most

of it. A beautiful setting in Hyde Park.

Helen Jenkins goes into this Olympic triathlon in a strong

position. She has had a string of great races, she won the test event

here in London last year, in front of an amazing home crowd. She had a

great race, she showed her incredible consistency across the

three disciplines. A very fast run. She has had a couple of strong

races this year including a win in San Diego in a packed field. She is

the one the others will be looking out for. There are 54 other

competitors. She is not the only athlete we want to watch. They will

all have different strengths at different stages of the triathlon.

The best triathlete, the most successful, are consistent across

all three disciplines. Definitely, there are other athletes who

excelled in swimming. You might not see them feature so strongly in the

bike. Because they can sit in packs, you might see some conserving their

energy, especially the faster runners. You might see stronger

cyclists making a break a way which will be exciting. Given it is a

technical course, seven laps. The breakaways could happen, you could

see packs of cyclists emerge. Thanks, Chrissie. A rainy start to

the day but hopefully it will be bright for the triathletes. They

begin with a 1,500m swim, then a 40 kilometre or cycle. Coming back

into the park for that 10 come at a run. -- 10km run.

Welcome to Hyde Park. It is packed here. He triathletes have just

walked past, lining up, almost ready to start. Today, we are

looking at Helen Jenkins, she has a great chance. A brilliant chance.

There are half a dozen other competitors who have a real chance

of beating her. There is no defending champion. The Australian

we should manage our expectations. We have good team tactics. The

plant is to push it as hard as possible on the swim, to get rid of

some of the really good runners. We have to make sure that the pack

A real test of endurance. Speaking to all three earlier this week,

they were saying, if anybody wants to get past Helen, they will have

to get past the other two. Lucy will swim as fast as she can. She

swims so fast. I fully expect to see her driving on and said bring

on. We will try to pick out some of the main players as they tackle

this 1.5 kilometre course. Chilly water in the Serpentine after a

miserable summer in England. It hasn't had a chance to warm up. We

have three distinct groups starting to form. They will not leave the

lake. It is a single lap swim. They will head in this direction before

turning back and then going back behind a pontoon where they started

before coming back out of the water on a ramp that takes them straight

into transition. From the USA, one of the Americans leading the way.

There are three Americans in the competition. They are wearing 52,

Bennett, 53, Croft, 54, Jorgensen. I think Sarah Groff will be up

there. And Jorgensen coming in with a tremendous run. The swim it will

be critical for her. Looking at these early stages, there is really

quite a big spread. I'm very, very surprised that the pack not being

closer together. That is Nicola Spirig, she is a real threat. She

has won two of the World Championship Series races over the

summer. She won in Austria and again in Madrid. She is one of the

big threats to Helen Jenkins's quest to win Olympic gold. The

swimming arrowhead begins to form. You can see it from the helicopter

shot. Nicola Spirig appears to be at the tip of that arrowhead at the

moment. I think we have got Lucy Hall from Great Britain coming

through. Lucy Hall has been put in as a domestic. Her running is not

the strongest, the British team appreciate that, but she is there

to help Helen Jenkins particularly and Vicky Holland through on the

swim and a bike. To help and protect. Lucy Hall is the youngest

competitor in the race. One of the oldest, Laura Bennett, is near the

front of this swim. She is from the USA. We do seem to have a big

spread already and it does surprise me. With wetsuits, they call it the

equaliser because of the buoyancy. That makes it a little bit easier

for the swimmers who are not quite so good to stay up with a top-class

winners. We have a breakaway of three athletes looking to forge

their way. It is very early and I just wonder if that sort of league

is going to be held or if the athletes chasing through are

prepared to let them go. Lucy Hall is leading them through, the

youngest competitor in the race, from Great Britain. 20 years, five

months and 15 days. 19 is there as well, lane eight Janssen from

Denmark. I think third places one off the back of an international

swimming career. No surprise to see her up there. Lucy Hall has been

told, let's take the swimmer out really fast and see if we can

stretch the pack. If we can do that, we will have a strong -- the strong

bikers and runners, hopefully the bridge a strategy may be to get

them disconnected early on. -- British strategy. Fay have rounded

the yellow inflatables on the far side of the lake. Do you can see

how many have come into the park to enjoy this competition. You can see

the Diana memorial fountain as well. 28 acres in total, the Serpentine.

Created in 1730. At some points it is 12 metres deep. We have a

breakaway group of four athletes. We know Lucy Hall is there. Lisa

Jensen as well. We are trying to get an identification for you. We

wonder if Lucy has been told... Number 49 is Pamela Oliveira. That

surprises me a little bit. We need an identification on the fourth

swimmer. The coaches talk about the critical distance going into

transition on to the bike of being around seven seconds. If you get a

small pack who can get away, if they work together, that seems to

be the critical time. With such a small group moving away and a huge

pack behind, that remains to be seen. Lucy Hall of Great Britain

leads the Olympic triathlon. There's a huge pack. This is where

injuries can happen. Accidents can happen. They can get hit by elbows

going around the tight turns. Everybody needs to watch out. The

swimmers in fourth and 5th are well positioned, they have clean water

and nobody around to trouble them. I think we are looking... If the

5th swimmer can make contact to get on the feet of the swimmer in front,

that will be drafting and that gives a significant benefit,

perhaps 15 or 20% less effort just to maintain the same speed with

somebody just creating that break in front. They are coming past and

in front of the Lansbury lido, which is a public swimming area. It

is close today, but people swim there every day every year. There

is a regular Christmas Day swim where some of the hardy members

dive in on December 25th every year. Claudia Rivas from Mexico is up

with the leaders and in good shape. They are going past the pontoon

where they dived to start the competition. They will head off in

the opposite direction before heading back towards the pontoon

for the exit. A fantastic sight. really is quite a dynamic swim.

There's obviously going to be no prisoners at all. A huge effort at

the front. We haven't yet got a tag on Helen Jenkins or Vicky Holland

from Great Britain, but equally, with his speed, even with the wet

suits, some delight Nicola Spirig, who has not had the greatest swims,

will be having a few thoughts about trying to close the gap. That will

make the start of the cycling section very, very interesting. We

will see a lot of positive effort as the chasers try to re-establish

contact. He coming pass the pontoon where it all began eight minutes to

go. -- ago. Starting to tackle the second half of this 1.5, to swim.

They will leave the park in today's Olympic triathlon. The Olympic test

it then was won by Helen Jenkins and Alistair Brownlee. They will go

down constitution Hill towards Buckingham Palace to complete seven

laps of 6.1 kilometres each. A slightly longer ride than normal.

43 kilometres in total. We now have seven swimmers who have gone away

from the main pack. I keep emphasising this, but his is

significant. One of the other things we need to take into account

is one of these huge difference between triathlon swimming and

open-water swimming and a pool swimming, the need to look up.

Coming past the red boil a few seconds ago, one of the sinners, I

think Sarah Groff, she's one right into the water boy. -- she swum.

The cat the crowds in Hyde Park. 10 deep in places. Hoon everybody

trying to get a viewpoint. No tickets required to take position

in the park to watch this event. The Serpentine will also be used

for the open-water swimming. That is on Thursday and Friday this week.

The women's on Thursday and the men's on Friday. A good chance for

Great Britain with Kerri-Anne Payne. I think this has almost gone back a

few years where we have people absolutely committed to getting

away early. So often now, since triathlon at became draft legal, 18

years ago, we have seen groups establish themselves early on and

almost a reluctance to lead. This is the Olympics and things are

different. People are prepared to put themselves on the line. He

three in front -- 5 in front and a chase pack coming back. They have

created a significant gap already between themselves, the seven

leaders, and the chasing pack. It looks like we are beginning to get

the seven leaders coming together rather than two Yeading groups.

inflatable. Coming through his No. 15, Noriko Adachi of Japan. She has

done very well on the Asian series of eight races, but hasn't

established herself at world level. Every race is so different. No. 19

is Lisa Jensen, still working hard. Good news for Great Britain, Lucy

Hall, No. 8, the crowd is getting behind her. She is in for her

swimming and cycling strings. -- be holding second place. Number 49.

Pamela Oliveira. The early leaders still there. Still waiting for a

sign of Helen Jenkins and Vicky Holland. Several of the other big

names we would expect to be fighting haven't really made a

position yet. Lucy Hall from Great Britain leads the way, the youngest

competitor in the field. She is swim that opens the women's

triathlon in Hyde Park. Watching in the studio with Nige is Chrissie

Wellington. Explain what we are seeing in the opening stage. It is

quite interesting. Lucy was brought into the team as what we call a

domestic. Her role was to work for Helen Jenkins. We expected her to

lead the swim, but we would have hoped that Helen would have gone

with her so that she would have been at in the first pack and then

have an advantage on the bike. I can't see that Helen has made it

into the first pack. Off although Lucy Hall is right up there, she is

not looking to win this triathlon? I don't expect that she has any

ambitions of trying to win the race. She was brought into the team as

someone to assist Helen and getting her into a good position in the

swim and then onto the bike. To set the pace? Yes, and set Helen up for

a strong bike and a strong run. is setting the pace, but not

knowing whether Helen is anywhere near her. Absolutely. You are

relatively anonymous in a wet suit. Because she is leading, she will

not know who is behind her. She will be hoping she has been able to

take Helen wither, but it doesn't look like she is in that lead pack.

Let's go back to the commentators. The closing stages of the swim. 1.5

kilometres in the Serpentine. They are heading back towards that

pontoon. Lucy Hall is leading the way. There are plenty of others

battling for position. Jessica Harrison has just gone around the

yellow inflatable. No. 8, Lucy Hall, in front. What we tend to see if we

can have a group of three off-fore first out of the water, but as the

bike develops, we tend to see a big pack forming. We do, but I just

think this is a very, very different race. To have a loose

group, a leading group, getting away by a hugely significant margin

puts a totally doomed -- a new dimension on the race. We spoke

about Lucy Hall being in the British team as a domestic. It is a

modern sport and Malcolm Brown, the Olympic performers director, was

talking about this earlier this week. We are looking to get medals

for Great Britain. This is going to put Lucy Hall in an invidious

position. If Helen Jenkins were to beat them back in the lead group,

that is fantastic. Lucy will have to make a huge decision if Helen is

in the second group. What does she do? Does she try to slow down the

leading pack or is she going to be forced along if the other athletes

are working hard. She has to make a huge decision about whether to drop

back and get with Helen or to slow down the pack, or possibly stay

with the leading group and put herself into medal contention.

would be very surprised if Helen Jenkins isn't in that leading dozen.

seen her yet. A group of seven, chasing Lucy Hall. We haven't had

confirmation that Helen is without front group but we will get a full

check on the positions. You can see the exit ramp taking them onto the

transition area. We will get a full check of positions, as they exit

the water. You will be able to spot the contenders. No number 13 in the

triathlon, a total of 55, numbers 1-56 and the competition today.

We have had confirmation, it leads to possibly three we are not sure

disciplines. The transition is critical. A race has been on -- 1

makes the first transition or difficult. -- more difficult.

Difficult it adds an extra element today, the fact that the water end

the serpent 10 -- in the Serpentine the temperature has gone down to 19.

These women is almost over, 18 minutes. Lucy Hall, of Great

Britain, has led from the start. She will be first to exit the water.

Coming up to the ramp now. She starts to undo her wet suit,

getting ready, first out of water. Followed closely by Line Jensen.

competition. Jessica Harrison, now racing for France. Lucy Hall has

already arrived at her bike, her helmet is on, the issues are

already kit into the pedals. until they get to that line. Helen

Jenkins is at the front of the chasing pack. No, it is not Jenkins,

it is Lisa Norden from Sweden. Jenkins is in 10th position, in the

Helen Jenkins. Nicola Spirig. And Gwen Jorgensen, one of the

strongest runners. That gap between the lead pack, it puts a different

injuries, still finding her way Nice to see that Vicky Holland is

there as well. Both working hard, at the top end of this pack. They

have to close the gap. The first few led out of water by Lucy Hall.

We will join the leaders now. They are on their way through the park,

they will exit at Hyde Park Corner for the first time, head down

Constitution Hill, by the war memorials. Around the Victoria

Memorial, then head back to the park. A total of 43 kilometres.

Helen Jenkins, leading the chase pack. There is someone committed to

getting back on to the front end. Some people still coming out of

transition. Helen Jenkins, with Vicky Holland

from Great Britain, alongside her, at the top end of the big chase

pack. A group of four at the front. I think we are going to see some

hard work at the front end, they want to stay away. One of the

Italians making the running at the front of the field. Anna Maria

Maaetti from Italy. Lucy Hall, in that lead pack. Content to stay at

the back. She hasn't gone to the front yet. There we are. She is

checking to see where Helen is. She has made a commitment clear, she is

there to help the other two. She has stated, I am not chasing at the

front. One of the big dangers is Bent, she may be the oldest

competitor but she has had medals at world level 3 or four times.

Going out through the memorial gates. Spending some time on Park

lane. Dozens of expensive cars lined up in front of the hotels.

Some of our wealthy guests from the Middle East liked to spend summer

first time, the leading group. Under the Wellington Arch, planned

in 1825, to commemorate Britain's victories in the Napoleonic wars.

Constitution Hill. Buckingham Palace gardens on the right.

Jessica Harrison, France, is on largest private gardens are on the

right. They will come down towards the memorial, that is the distance

between the leaders and the chasing pack.

22 in the chasing group. Lucy Hall not doing any work at the front,

checking behind. Is that Flora Duffy? It looks like it. Out in

front, Lucy Hall of Great Britain We saw Lucy Hall come up first,

from transition. She was very hesitant, she kept looking at the

big screen to find Helen, she was very hesitant. That is her job, she

is there as a domestique, to push the swim as hard as she could and

bring Helen with her. Helen hadn't made the lead group. She has done

half her job, to make the swim as way through. We have had a

Brazilian faller. This lead group will get caught. The riders will

have to ride hard. Lucy will not work, she wants the other athletes

to push on as hard as they can. keeps checking to find where Helen

is, she wants Helen to catch her. There are some very fast runners in

the field. Gwen Jorgensen from the USA it is a fast runner. If it is

an easy race were they run, a ride around together, Gwen Jorgensen has

a good chance of winning. She needs to come off the bike in pieces.

The lap one of the seven on the On the wake up this slight incline,

returning to the park, back up constitutional Hill. --

this. It looks as if that early lead group is being caught. However,

we haven't got a huge group chasing up together. The speed of the first

part of the chasing group is very fast indeed. They are dropping

people off the back. We have seen a split in this field. This is the

Olympic Games. They are forcing some of the athletes to drop. Line

Jensen has been working very hard. We seem to have that working group

at the front. We haven't yet seen Lucy Hall going at the front, we

know why. Laura Bennett for the United States. We need to see a

concerted Chase by the big group behind to close up. These early

leaders will not give in easily. can confirm that Oliveira has

fallen, the only Brazilian in the field. She was clearly shaken as

she attempted to get back on to her bike. Harrison macro of France on

the righthand side. No sign behind Andrea Hewitt from New Zealand. Two

of the pre-race favourites working hard. We have to remember, it is

still early days. We are almost putting pressure on the athletes.

At field has spread right the way across. They have all come through

between the leaders and the chasing for the Republic of Ireland.

Ireland's number one. We mentioned Flora Duffy earlier. She is in that

group as well. She is looking down at her bike. Such discipline from

Lucy Hall. The pressure from the other four to get her to do work at

the front must be huge and she is sticking to her guns. It is the

programme that has been set out for her. She is there to help Helen

Jenkins. Lucy is sitting and hoping that Helen will be coming through.

I am surprised that Vicky Holland was a minute through. We have got a

mechanical failure for Duffy of Bermuda. She is in trouble and her

chance of a medal has gone. That is a great shame. I was talking to her

team manager earlier this week. She had a bad race in Beijing and she

has worked so hard to get back. To be forced out with mechanical

problems will be absolutely huge for her. The chasing group. About

12 or 15 of them. Helen Jenkins is at the front, shouting instructions

to the others, giving them encouragement. She knows there's a

time difference to close. Now they have to start working as a team to

try to close it. Jackson of Australia lingering at the back of

the group. At the back of the chasing group is Lucy Ball from

Great Britain. She was first out of the water. They are approaching

Hyde Park Corner. Lucy Hall is the youngest athlete in the race.

Jackson is just a few days older than Lucy. You can't rule her out,

Jackson is such a strong runner. She has done amazingly well in the

junior ranks. Now they will head out once again through the Queen

Mother memorial gates. They turn right onto Hyde Park. A little bit

of time spent on the main roads of central London, down towards the

palace and Constitution Hill. Heading that way it for the second

time to set up the halfway stage of this second lap of seven on the

bike. Three things came through. Laura Bennett is gesticulating to

the others, let's do some work. On the chasing pack, Helen Jenkins

doing exactly the same. The third thing that caught my eye, Emma

Jackson... Very, very happy to sit at the back of that pack. If she

can get through, if they can take her through, she feels she has a

big chance going into the final discipline. You can see the

magnificent statue on top of the Wellington Arch, Place there in

1912, designed by Adrian Jones based on a similar original that

caught the eye it of Edward the Seventh at the Royal Academy

exhibition. It is a magnificent Olympic triathlon. Without Helen

Jenkins, that is unexpected. They can't pass the Victoria Memorial,

in front of Buckingham Palace. -- London. Within the park itself, it

was solid. Dozens of dozens of people who wanted to be there. I

think triathlon has caught the imagination of the British public,

with Helen Jenkins and Alastair and Jonathan Brownlee, the two

Yorkshire-based boys who have absolutely taking the World

Triathlon Series by storm. Both world champions in their own right

and both hot favourites in the men's field. But still that Packer

five staying away. The discipline shown by Rebecca -- Lucy Hall,

there must be huge pressure on her. Another crash! We talked about the

dampness. The Polish Rider has gone down. Was that the same place?

Chiswick of Poland has gone down. Goodness me. Jackson had to bypass

the faller. That is no coincidence. You don't have two athletes of this

calibre crashing in the same place. There has to be Greece on the

ground. If that gets fed back to the pack, we will have to do

something. I'm not sure if the marshals are able to put something

down. That is significant and that is very, very unfortunate for the

athletes concerned. The leading group, which contains Vicky Hall, I

now just the handful of seconds clear of the chasers. Lisa Norden

is leading through, Nicola Spirig as well. Is that a sigh of relief

on Helen's face? Sarah Groff and Emma Jackson, we've seen Sarah

Groff duelling with Vemic -- Helen Jenkins many times before. I still

feel that Emma Jackson will be a threat. She's a tremendous runner,

cross country, five kilometres, 10 kilometres. If she has saved her

legs on this middle disciplined, she could be a player. Up into Park

lane again, passing the Dorchester Hotel at the end of Park lane. But

they will go back into the park via the Queen Mother memorial gates. It

will not be long before the group of five at the front becomes a much

larger entity with the chasers closing in. Lucy Hall, Jensen,

Adachi, Oliveira and Rivas. We have another one down. It looks like the

same point. No. 6 is Sophia Kovacs from hungry. -- Hungary. More of a

problem for Kathy Tremblay of Canada. Payback will skit from

Kovacs. -- A back wheel skid. More she had some issues with her chain.

Whether she will be able to get back on the bike, I don't know.

group is now coming together. The early leaders had what I thought

was a significant gap of 30 seconds. That is Gillian Sanders from South

Africa. As a youth she was tremendous. She left the sport and

qualified as a lawyer and has been working in London. The Olympics

caught her imagination and she made a comeback three years ago and has

made the South African team. Nicola Spirig featuring again, so strong.

Two weeks ago she did a 17.3 event. Almost double this Olympic distance

event. She won there. You sometimes wonder if that is the right thing

to do, just two weeks before, but it is obviously working for her.

Helen Jenkins is taking a breather for the first time. Lucy Hall looks

back. Now I'm going to do my job. I'm sure we will see those two

getting together. They have just crossed the bridge over the

Serpentine. Lucy Hall is constantly looking over her shoulder,

searching out Helen Jenkins. She is employed as a domestique, debt aid

Helens quest to win a first Olympic medal of any colour in triathlon.

Looking back over the history of the three Olympics, the early

favourite that has won was Emma Snowsill four years ago. It has

always been a surprise in the men's and women's. Simon Whitfield, going

into Sydney, one of the younger athletes, and got disconnected on

the bike and the run, but close that gap brilliantly. I think he

will be the oldest man in the men's race in a couple of days. Her Len

Jenkins is wearing Number Ten. That is the number we need to look for.

She also has Jenkins emblazoned Ireland, hard work for her as she

comes through transition for the second time. She is in the little

group of five trying to get involved with the leading players.

The other non- -- the other one we need to look at his Daniela Ryf

from Switzerland. Lucy Hall has got her head down. Let's see what we

can do to make the first British medal in Olympic triathlon history.

We have a big group formed as expected. Lucy Hall has encouraged

Jenkins to pull up alongside her. You will see 43 on her shoulder,

Nicola Spirig. The swifts -- Swiss athlete has won two World

Championship Series events. Number 31 goes to the front, Vodickova. He

Spirig will be happy to sit behind and absorb the little slipstream

she has been provided with by the Czech rider. Nicola Spirig does now

moved to the front of the field and the two British riders are keeping

out of trouble, tucked in behind the leaders. I think we have to

look at one of the similarities between Spirig and Jenkins. They

are both capable of a tremendous run after a hard by exception. At

the moment we are looking at the bike, an opportunity for the legs

to get refreshed. I think Helen and Nicola Spirig will be more than

happy if the pace picks up. I can even see them both being prepared

to put the hammer down at the front. She has been prepared to do it

before. I'm convinced she has the running strength to run well after

the bike. Gillian Sanders is now up in the lead. The Polish Rider has

done well to pick herself up. Oliveira, another one who has got a

little bit of road rash as well. Holland is the third of the British

triathletes involved today. Vicky Holland from Great Britain has some

work to do. Another look and one or two casualties. Number 27 Going

Down, Emma Moffatt of Australia. Joined by another 24. One of the

Italians skidding across the tarmac. Kitties carnage on the wet roads of

West London this morning. -- it is carnage. You can almost see the

sense of resignation. We expected Anne Haug to be up there. Gillian

Sanders as well. Helen Jenkins, yellow helmet, in 5th or 6th

position at the moment. They are coming in front of the Victoria

Memorial, in front of the palace, unveiled in 1911 by George V, who

apparently was knighted on the spot as soon as the King saw his work.

We have a problem for one of the Americans. That is going Jorgensen.

I thought she was going to be a big feature on the run. She is going to

have to work so hard to re- establish contact. How many crashes

have we seen? It seems the most ever. They have gone down lap after

lap. I am not sure if she had a crash or a mechanical problem of

some kind. Either way, she lost her place and now she is working very

hard to regain it. She is a very, very lean athlete. This weir might

have been tough for her. A look inside the inner courtyard of

Buckingham Palace with its magnificent gardens stretching

behind the palace. The front of the Palace was built with Portland

stone from Dorset, where the Olympic sailing events are

Sanders hasn't taken the lead yet, but seems very happy in second or

third place. Spirig looking over her shoulder to see if anybody is

going to come through. There's a whole tactical element in triathlon.

They try to get away on the swim, that didn't work. Now they are back

together. Lovely to see Helen Jenkins there. They are climbing

the hill going past the Wellington Arch. The British pair of Hall and

gone so far? The chase pack has caught the front pack from the swim.

I think we will civvy medal contenders in this front pack. This

will favour of the strong cyclists. They are talking to one another, to

push the pace. The strong sightless will know they will still have a

fast ride and a good, strong run afterwards. Helen Jenkins has

caught up. She is in a great position. Lucy Hall will be hoping

to shelter her a little bit. So that Helen can take a breather. It

is interesting how many crashes we have seen, slightly worrying on a

technical course, so it was to be expected. With the complicating

factor of the rain, it makes for difficult conditions. The athletes

will be acutely aware of bike handling. It is not difficult in

terms of terrain, it has a lot of sharp turns. This is not

challenging in terms of the fact they are not too many hills, it is

definitely technically challenging, over 100 corners. In Athens, it was

an extremely difficult course, with a very tough Hill. Another crash

happening there. It is really unfortunate. Once you have gone

down, it is very difficult to stay in contention. Overall, the British

riders, particularly Helen Jenkins, in a good place. She is in a good

position at the moment, exactly where she would want to be. We also

have the rowing finals coming up. 11:30am, including the men's four.

Athletics, up on BBC Three, right now. That includes Jessica Ennis in

the heptathlon. Usain Bolt will be on the track inside the Olympic

Stadium later on. Back now to the commentary team for

the Women's Triathlon. Lucy Hall, Lisa Norden. Helen

Jenkins is also with the leading pack, wearing the helmet, the

yellow helmet. The world champion, the winner of the test event. This

haven't seen her feature much. For the first time, we have seen her

beginning to move up, in the middle of the lead pack. Roberts, from

South Africa. She seems to be covered in blood. There are huge

issues, because of the road conditions.

The chasers have just gone through transition. Svenja Bazlen of

Germany could be a threat today, at the front of this group, trying to

front to try to lead out Anne Haug. She is saying, OK, we have seen

Lucy Hall, coming up. She is there to do a job. Working 100% for Helen

Jenkins to get into medal contention. I wonder if this is the

chairman's job, to bring Anne Haug up, who will feature. -- the

domestique, she has tracked the German, now she is looking for

Jenkins. Svenja Bazlen is trying to this, she is covering everything.

She will do 100% for the British team. This is a fascinating race.

With triathlon, we look at the three disciplines, the different

circumstances. But this race, a new dimension. This race is totally

open at the moment. The leaders, leaving the park for the third time,

down to Wellington Arch. Down the hill, past Buckingham Palace

Gardens, around the Victoria Memorial again. The crowds have

come out in force, Union Jacks everywhere, everyone taking care

with the terms. The leaders come through the Wellington Arch for the

third time, to be greeted by I wasn't sure if that 32nd gap

would be closed but it has come together really quickly. We have

the attacks at the front. Svenja Bazlen looks to be going again, I

have to question the tactics. A third time but she hasn't managed

to get away. What will this achieved? Is this tuatara -- to

tire them out? The interesting battle will be between Nicola

Spirig and Jenkins on the run. Jenkins is the world champion. She

didn't race in Madrid, which Nicola Spirig won.

You have to bring Lisa Norden into contention, the Swedish athlete,

who has shown her capability of running strongly. This section,

attacks at the front, backing off, it seems to be covered every time.

You have to think about the frustration of individuals, teams

who have a plan. We are halfway a terrific place to watch the race.

You can go up and watch the race unfold. You can see Big Ben in the

background, St Stephen's Tower as it is officially called. The

leaders, going one way. We will Jenkins, with that yellow helmet.

Bright sunshine now above this park in west London. The roads are dried

out but they are still dangers. We have seen so many crashes in the

early stages here. They have come back up towards the park.

Nicola Spirig, in second position, for Switzerland. The pace is being

generated by one of the New Zealanders, taking her turn at the

front. Lucy Hall and Helen Jenkins are playing it safe in 7th and 8th

position. A great position to be. Able to

cover anything if there is a surprise attack but staying out of

trouble and conserving energy. Helen did a vast amount of work

early on. They were 30 seconds down, Lucy wasn't the lead pack, trying

to slow things down. The other form acrobatics wasn't having any of

that. A huge amount of work done by Helen Jenkins. Roberts, Juri Ide,

Vicky Holland. This has to be the chase pack coming through. We are

not making any inroads coming into this.

Back with the leaders and another injection of pace from Svenja

Bazlen from Germany. Svenja Bazlen is the king behind as if to say,

does anybody want to have a go? Her first move was covered by Lucy Hall.

Trying to protect Helen Jenkins. Nicola Spirig currently in second

position, one of the big favourites. The winner of two World

Championship series events. One racer we haven't seen his Erin

Densham, who won in Hamburg and at the start of the world Gebbie sheet

series. She might just be covering up, keeping out of trouble, waiting

for a chance to strike. As they early on, but she has established

herself in the leading pack. She is conserving her energy for the run.

She has a tremendous pedigree, she came through as a leading junior.

She had some issues with health and injury but has fought her way back.

I would put her in the top medal contenders. Andrea Hewitt from

using and, I haven't seen her at the front of his pack. The lady who

has done a lot of work, Nicola Spirig, she is very tough. She is

put in a self on the line. Whether she is trying to force the pace. I

am not sure. She is making a huge One of the main contenders. She

beat Jenkins into second, in Sydney. In Santiago, the result was

reversed. Jenkins came first. -- She had a surprising swim. I would

have expected her to be in the top 10. I wonder if it was colder than

it appeared and maybe the athletes the chasers is almost two minutes.

The extraordinary thing is that the Brazilian, Oliveira, the first of

the fallers, with the scars of battle to show, is with that chase

group. The camera mounted on the front

wheel of Roberts, the south African. Darren Smith has five athletes,

Roberts is another one. Each of those athletes from a different

country. They are having a great impact, they work and travel

together. A great impact on this particular race. These are the

first out of the water, and has ridden well, protecting Helen

Jenkins through the first half of his ride. She has done brilliantly.

She was in that invidious position, coming out with the lead pack, and

made herself known that she was not doing any work. Lucy Hall goes to

the front. Who covers her? At Nicola Spirig once again. Helen

Jenkins in fourth place. This is interesting. Has Lucy been told if

there's a fairly big gap, maybe her work ethic has to be to try to take

the speed up, give Helen a loose ride coming in. Helen can run well

from a tough bike section. As can Nicola Spirig. The Wellington Arch

with the four horses on top. Wonderful piece of architecture.

Down Constitution Hill again. That obtained its name in the 17th

century from King Charles's habit of taking a constitutional walk on

the hill. It was the scene of three and -- assassination attempts

against Queen Victoria in 1840, 1842 and 1849. In 1850, the former

Conservative prime minister Robert Peel was thrown from his horse on

Constitution Hill, by hard Park corner. He died a few days later.

Sarah Groff and Emma Jackson sitting very comfortably at the

rear end of this lead pack. Conserving their legs. We've seen

Sarah Groff at World Championship level, we know how strongly she can

run, particularly in tough conditions. The weather seems to be

getting better now, the rudest drying out. I think this is an open

race at the moment. The road hasn't dried up very well up here, it is

shaded by the trees and it is still damp in places. We have seen a

number of fallers at this stage of the race and they are taking extra

care coming towards the Victoria Memorial. The gold figure on top

signifiers victory. Another 25 minutes on the bike and then we are

going into the third discipline. We are going to have a lot of athletes

in contention unless we see a really big attack on the last three

laps. I think we will have 20 athletes in conjecture and.

contention. The chasing group making their way towards the palace.

Going through Duke of Wellington -- Duke of Wellington Place. Nice to

see it free of traffic. So many people enjoying this Olympic event.

Almost a slowing down with the athletes saying OK, we've got our

position, is anybody prepared? Emma Jackson, one of the younger

athletes, second youngest, but a tremendous runner. Back with the

leaders. There's Helen Jenkins wearing Number Ten. Two in front of

her is Lucy Hall. They are both wearing yellow helmets. Nicola

Spirig is just left of screen. The German is still pushing hard at the

front of the field. She is trying to increase the pace generated by

the front group as they come around, heading back towards the park. Back

towards transition. The 43 kilometres of this bike course come

and go quickly. On this middle Saturday of the London 2012 Olympic

Games. The men's triathlon will follow the same course on Tuesday.

Another athlete having a strong race is Gillian Sanders. We

mentioned her earlier, she was a great junior and then stopped and

pursued her profession, qualifying as a lawyer and based in London.

When London got the Olympic Games, it focused her imagination and

dedication and she decided to go for it. We get used to some British

athletes going to tough South Africa to train and the Sun, and we

have a South African athlete coming to work in London. She said she

trains here because it is tougher. She has proved that today. She has

been holding 5th or 6th place and right the way through the by

in Beijing, she was fourth. Helen Jenkins, on this last lap and a

half, she seems to have been very content to back off a little, back

in 6th of 7th place. Maybe she's thinking that she needs to back off

a little bit. Back in the park, bright sunshine. It is hotting up

in the Olympic triathlon. STUDIO: We've been keeping an eye

on the triathletes. I've just been speaking to Todd Leckie, the

reserve for the men's race on Tuesday. What we have noticed is

the cheeky girls sitting at the back of the lead group.

literally the cheeky girls! Emma Jackson is a particularly good

runner. Sarah Groff is sitting in the back. The risk you run by

sitting at the back is if there's a crash, you get held up or you might

even get taken down. Not a safe place to sit. But they are

conserving energy. A lot of energy. I would watch out for her and

Densham. And Nicola Spirig. Even Andrea Hewitt. When they get on to

the run, that is what we will really notice, which ones will go

out hard. It is a hard and fast run, it will be somebody like Dench and

he will be Helen's biggest threat. If there it -- if it is a slow run,

Lisa Norden is a very good sprint finisher. All of the medals will

come from that lead pack. We have been talking for while and the

chasing pack are not there. Vicky Holland, her races over.

Pretty much. She will not feature at the front. As soon as they get

at the running, we will have an idea of how it will go. I imagine

they will push it as hard as they can out of transition. Lucy Hall's

job with two laps to go... She has done a fantastic job. She will have

to bring Helen in safely into the second transition. Yes, Helen will

try to get to the front. Two laps according to plan for the British

triathletes. Lucy Hall, No. 8. Number 43, and Nicola Spirig. 31 is

Vodickova of the Czech Republic. We are back with the chasing group.

There's Vicky Holland with the chasing group. They are coming

through transition now. About 2:15 behind the leaders. We've really

are getting towards the end, just over 15 minutes to go on the bike.

The way the race has developed, I think we are going to have a war of

contention on the run. It is the Olympics, the athletes will be

prepared to put themselves on the line right from the start. Nicola

Spirig will go out hard. Helen Jenkins will cover everything. Emma

Jackson and Erin Densham from Australia will be prepared to

follow everything. We know just Harrison will go for it,

particularly on the first part of the hunt -- run. If she can make a

breakaway, I think she could be a feature. There's the lady who I

think will make a huge impact, Nicola Spirig from Switzerland. So

strong. As a junior, her weakness was swimming, but she has worked on

that. She has worked with a new coach and come on. I think she will

be a real threat to Helen Jenkins. We said it was an open race, but

there's half a dozen athletes in this lead group, or who have the

potential to take gold. 42 is Daniela Ryf from Switzerland, on

her own. Lucy Hall has just kicked away at the front of the main group.

Daniela Ryf was selected by Switzerland to do exactly the same

job as Lucy Hall. Her job was to protect Nicola. We've seen with

both teams that things have not panned out as they would have

thought. Just coming past at the house, top of your screen, and then

they had left underneath the archer on the right. There's the Royal

Artillery Memorial. Further to the right is the Australian War

Memorial. The New Zealand war memorial is also in this park. On

the left is the memorial to Bomber Command, which was unveiled in June

this year by Her Majesty the Queen commemorating lives of more than

50,000 Allied airmen. In the lead pack we have single lining.

Somebody has gone to the front and we are now beginning to chase. We

knew Lucy Hall was up there. She is looking behind. We will start

getting some pace going into this. Densham, Emma Jackson from

Australia. Both very happy to sit back. It looks like we have an

attack from one of the Slovakians on the left-hand side. That has

gone awry. We still have this big pack together. They are now three

or four abreast again and people will now be very, very reluctant to

go to the front and make a lone break. If they do that, their legs

will be tired and they will not be able to carry on into the 10

kilometre run. They are in front of a palace again. We are back with

the chasing group. These are the leaders. Hall and Jenkins. McIlroy

of New Zealand. For leaders are beginning to stretch slightly.

Taking care on this left-hander which has seen a number of

casualties. Laura Bennett is back at the front now. She did so much

work earlier on the bike after a tremendous swim, then seemed to

back off a little bit. Now, with less than two laps to go, just

prepared to go to the front again. Laura is a very, very strong run-up.

I'm not sure if she can maintain this sort of pace over 14

kilometres of a hard bike ride. First five kilometres, she will be

there. Maybe as the race progresses, it is going to be quite tough for

her. We will have to wait and see. A great athlete, a long career,

still in contention. The leaders will once again spot the chasers as

they go in opposite directions. The leaders going up Constitution Hill,

for chasers going in the opposite of Gillian Sanders. Andrea Hewitt

on the right hand side. I think the leading contenders are beginning to

look around at each other, checking out who's there, has anybody

dropped off? We thought Johnson would be a very, very strong runner,

but with that mechanical problem, she's no longer in the leading pack.

The athletes will be very, very aware of that and they will know,

almost within the second, the capabilities of the athletes around

them. Back towards the park. Now Fortes -- their thoughts are on the

arrival in transition. In a little while, the change from the bike to

the run. They have a 10 kilometre run coming up. Four 2.5 kilometre

loops around the park. They don't leave the park during the run.

Jackson and Sarah Groff seem to have taken out a season ticket on

these positions in the pack, following everybody through.

Reluctant to take the lead and why should they. Lucy Hall, off the

front, it seems to be picking up the pace a little bit, I'm

wondering if this is pre-planned by the British team. The amount of

time isn't important in transition. What is important is giving

yourself that little bit of room so you will not be hindered by the

other athletes. It gets very, very busy in there. The foot will be

taken out of the shoes, they will be cycling the last couple of

hundred barefoot. There's Helen Jenkins. Are we going to seek a

over, huge discussions. Over one lap to go but we seem to have an

injection of pace. Erin Densham covering. Gilly Sanders, what a

race she is having. There are plans being hatched. Lucy saying, what

you want me to do? Do you want me to lead you up or do you want me to

protect you? If you are joining us, a recap. Lucy Hall of Great Britain

was first out of the water after 1,500m in the Serpentine. She, and

five others, set off with about 30 seconds advantage over the chasing

group out of the water. That small group then group into a sizable

group who you are now seeing crossing the bridge over the

Serpentine, heading on their way back out on lap six. Within that

group are the main contenders, Helen Jenkins, Nicola Spirig, Erin

Densham, Mariko Adachi, Lisa Norden of Sweden, Sarah Groff of America.

Emma Jackson also, one of the contenders. Nicola Spirig is the

winner of two competitions at World Championship level. She is one of

the main threat to Helen Jenkins. There are an awful lot of variables.

One of the main things has been the wet surface which has claimed a

number of casualties. It is wide open. Nothing has been decided. We

have lost a few with mechanical figures -- problems, and crashes.

Helen Jenkins is in contention. 7th position. Nicola Spirig coming out

of that corner. Looking to see if Haug. Still with a time gap of over

Holland among them, the third of the British contenders. Lucy Hall

is still at the top of the leader board. She is the youngest

competitor in the race today. Also in that lead group, Laura Bennett,

one of the oldest competitors. There was huge controversy end this

selection process and M playing -- of employing a domestique. We have

seen this in the French road race. A relatively new thing in the

triathlon. We saw it in Beijing in the men's triathlon. Tactics well

employed to work. It is relatively new, still some uncertainty. A lack

of knowledge among athletes, a sense of unfairness. But, it seems

to be working. Lucy Hall has done a magnificent job for Great Britain

the women. Nicola Spirig, after that initial push, has backed off.

Andrea Hewitt has been content to stay near the back, Gilly Sanders,

shadowing Erin Densham. Vendula Frintova, a consistent performer.

She has been happy to stay at the back. Bent has done an enormous

sure of these left and right-handed turns. Under the arch again, down

hill, but it is an incline. The only climb of any description in

the competition. Just beginning to approach Hyde

Park, on to serpent heard -- Serpentine Road, then into the

transition and the final discipline where we will seek an explosion.

There will be a fast read-out on the run, everybody will be trying

to cover it. In the first couple of kilometres, we will see people

trying to break the other athletes and get a way, to get into a real,

honest foot race. In this six Olympic races, we have had one Prix

race favourite to win. Is that going to happen again? Everyone has

been saying Helen Jenkins. She is one of the pre-race favourites. The

pressure is there. It is an open race, ladies and gentlemen, and we

will see something very special on Buckingham Palace, the building

visitors' most want to see when opportunity to get some liquid in.

Looking over. No huge injection of pace. A red flag going up, to be

aware that the road becomes narrower. People reluctant to take

the lead. But they don't want to stay at the back, so we are seeing

that spread. People changing direction, juggling for position.

Nicola Spirig does not want to get away. Svenja Bazlen has been

aggressive on this ride. Getting herself into a good position.

Everyone at still in contention. No one making a serious move to get

group. 22 with ideas of taking an Olympic medal, as they come past

Olympic transportation system. Around that left hand corner, you

can see the athletes spreading, no one wants to take the risk of

crashing out on one of the last bid terms. Looking for some space in

front. By acting into the park. -- Back

competitor is with the chase group. Another burst of speed from the

front, courtesy of Svenja Bazlen, of Germany, she has done this a

dozen times, trying to move the pace forward.

Looking for some open space in transition. It won't make a huge

difference but it may give her more space. You can see the athletes

bending down, very shortly, they will be getting their feet out of

the shoes, it saves time in transition. The rules, they have to

make sure all of their equipment goes into that little box, to keep

a clean field of play. Then it will ride. And Nicola Spirig is leading

-- red line. They get a rapturous goes out of transition. Now they

have 10 kilometres, 10,000m, to run, to decide the Olympic medals, in

the London Triathlon, 2012. A group of 23 will shortly begin to spread,

as the stronger runners come to the front. And the weaker of runners

get left behind, it is all about to be decided, we then Hyde Park. --

within Hyde Park. Helen Jenkins is in 6th position at this stage. Now,

she moves on to the shoulder of Andrea Hewitt with Lisa Norden in

front. Getting herself in the perfect position.

Lucy Hall, great job for Great Britain. You told me not to get

emotional! Anja Dittmer, in her 4th Olympic Games for Germany. Now we

winner from the chase group make her way up the field. And a

challenge for a top ten position. Riveros Diaz it is a strong

contender, she has finished in their position in the Madrid World

Championship series. She has a lot of work to do. We will keep an eye

on her progress. Leaving transition with an awful lot of work to do, to

challenge for Olympic success today. An indication of how much the speed

Jenkins, Nicola Spirig, Lisa Norden. Is that Erin Densham? Lucy Hall has

been a solid worker for Helen Jenkins. She was first out of the

water, she did an awful lot of hard work on the bike. But her running

straight will let her down today. Helen Jenkins of Great Britain

stage of the Olympic triathlon. Helen Jenkins in front. How is this

looking to you, it is this the team like a gold medal?

CHRISSIE WELLINGTON: I would have expected her to push the pace early

on. She hasn't got the strongest finishing kick, so she will look to

go out fast. There are a lot of strong runners. Nicola Spirig

worked very hard on the bike but is capable of a fast run. Andrea

Hewitt, at a phenomenal run there, Lisa Norden as well. Erin Densham

recently run -- won a fast race in Hamburg. Helen is in a great

and training has gone into this. These athletes will have been

training for six hours a day. Also doing strength and conditioning

work, nutrition is incredibly important, of course. They will

have prepared long and hard. Will they have been round this course

before? They would have done the practice swim in the week. The

majority of the athletes also would have done that Test event in London

last year, which was run over the same course. They would not have

had an opportunity to bike for a course this week. I assumed the

majority will also have run part or all of this four lap course. As far

as Jenkins is concerned, she will want a steady race at this point.

If it ends up being a sprint, that doesn't favour. She will want to go

out very, very fast, which she is doing, but she has not managed to

put any time between herself and some of the other strong runners. A

sprint finish probably would not favour higher, but I'm sure that is

something she has been working on an practising. I would not counter

out if there was a sprint finish. It looks beautiful, the way they

are running through Hyde Park. There's a grandstand for ticket-

holders to this event, but also people have just turned up on the

day to watch the triathletes go past. If you're wondering about the

athletics, that is under way on BBC Three. Jessica Ennis has been in

action in the long jump. She is just about to start the long jump.

This is an exciting last 30 minutes or so of this women's triathlon.

Will it be a gold medal for Helen Jenkins? She has been helped along

the way by Lucy Hall. Let's get Triathlon at the front of the

Olympic field. Erin Densham of Australia, Elin Jenkins from Great

Britain, Nicola Spirig from Switzerland. -- Helen Jenkins. All

of those athletes have One World Championship Series events so far

this season. Spirit has won two, Densham has won two. Jenkins won

the Olympic test event in Hyde Park. That was 12 months ago when they

tested the Olympic route. Jenkins with Densham alongside, and spirit.

-- Spirig. The three best triathletes in the world at the

moment. Lisa Norden is with them as well. They are starting to drop a

few of the weaker runners. Jenkins balls water over her head in an

attempt to keep cool. -- Paul's water. We are beginning to lose

some of the less able runners. Rivas was right up there on the

bike, but she has been dropped. This is one of the chasing groups,

a group of five. Adachi, four Roy, There are one or two runners which

include Lucy Hall. I think she is next along the road along the

second time. That is the group where we will keep our focus.

Densham alongside Densham, with Norden and Spirig. And Degner and

Laura Bennett have both been dropped off the leading group. We

are down to nine at the front. The row of Spain is still there, as is

Harrison. Sarah Groff from the USA is still there. Wearyingly, Andrea

Hewitt. -- wearyingly. She had a good swim, she was happy to stay on

the bike and take as much pace as she could. Clap one has gone

already. The pace of this is very fast indeed. We saw Gillian Sanders,

who was right at the front of this group as they came onto the run,

she has dropped off. That lead group of 20 is now down to nine.

Eight. Laura Bennett was dropped off. Who else has gone? Is Harrison

still there? She was in the lead group. I can't see her. The

Spaniard is there. If there's any surprise, it could be her. She has

been very, very consistent. Don't Groff and she would look good? I

don't think Emma Jackson has moved from the last position in any pack

so far. Nicola Spirig is taking in water. Maybe she is feeling the

effects. Beginning to really make an impact, Helen Jenkins. She wants

a hard run, she doesn't want to leave it to a sprint. If she does,

Nicola Spirig and Lisa Norden could be very, very threatening. Sarah

Groff is a great run and if Helen keeps pushing the pace, we may well

see Andrea Hewitt, Nicola Spirig and Sarah Groff moving up to join

her. Anne Haug looks exhausted. Roberts running nicely. Riveros

from Chile is surprisingly a long way back in the field. Vicky

Holland, the third of the British entries today, on her shoulder.

That is the scene in triathlon -- transition. Some of the stragglers

coming through. Looking at Riveros Diaz, she needed to be in the swim

pack. She has always acknowledged she needed to work hard. She will

not be able to get in contention. Far too far down to be able to

cover this sort of break. I'm sure the winner will come from that

leading -- those leading a people. We think Harrison and then it

dropped off. We still have. -- we Jackson were anonymous during the

43: at a bike. They kept themselves clear of danger. Sat quietly at the

back of the pack. Laura Bennett was in contention, but now the fourth-

placed finisher from Beijing in 2008 has been dropped by the

leaders, along with an your dinner. There's Harrison, born in Sheffield,

racing for France. Her running skills are not up to the mark at

this Olympics. Bennett is the oldest in the field, still going

strong, but out of medal contention. Densham leads the way with Jenkins

and Spirig in second and third. Norden is just behind her, then the

ruler of Spain. Then it is Groff of the USA followed by Hewitt. Jackson

is losing touch with the leaders. Jackson is coming off the back. She

will have to make a huge effort to get back on. I think Andrea Hewitt

just appears to be struggling a little bit to hold contention.

Andrea Hewitt has got her back in. Sarah Groff from the USA look so

before the first time. She looks to be in a tiny bit of difficulty.

Densham, Nicola Spirig in second place, then Lisa Norden, then Helen

Jenkins. Hewitt and Groff have both got themselves back. Jackson is now

working extremely hard. Second youngest athlete in the field.

Desperately trying to hold on to the leading pack. And you did much

of Germany running with Jess Harrison of France. Not in

contention for medals now. Bennett from the USA trying to keep contact

with the two in front of her. Back with the leaders. Densham forcing

the pace at the front. Norden to her left. Spirig just behind. Then

Jenkins. Hewitt looked like she might be losing contact, but she

has managed to maintain the pace. Groff has been chopped. -- dropped.

He absolutely essential for Andrea Hewitt to regain contact. The 20

became eight and six and it is now down to five. Laura Bennett is

trying to hold on to the two in front. It looks like we are down to

five in front. It looks like Emma Spirig is third at the moment.

Norden looks calm and composed as well. Just sitting in behind his

Helen Jenkins could -- who moves to her right. Groff and Jackson are

watching the leaders go away from them on the final stage of the

Olympic triathlon. The leading group is six, but it might be about

to become just four as the Spaniard and Hewitt are beginning to

struggle with the pace. Absolutely right. The intensity of this place

is not easy to realise how tough it is. There's been no easing off

whatsoever. Andrea lost contact, she came back, she almost lost

contact again on the downhill section, but she has re-established

as. If that happens for a third time, that leading six will be down

to four. They are on their second lap. The leaders clocked 8.23 for

the first two and a half kilometres. Sarah Groff is having to go it

alone. She is in 7th or 8th position. She finished the swim in

a tough, 7th after the pipe, out of the medals towards the end of the

Olympic triathlon. The toughest position to be in. Worked so hard,

knew she was there. The six is down to five, the Spaniard has dropped

back. Hewitt has stayed in contact, but there's no easing off. Co

almost to stumble by Helen Jenkins. She seems to be tracking Nicola

Spirig. The Spaniard trying desperately to get back. 55 started

the triathlon. There's now a group of five going for the Olympic

women go along the course. They are just about to come into transition.

Graham Bell and myself have been watching them. Helen is in a really

great position, but if you are supporting her for gold, you can't

relax. There are some very, very dangerous girls with her. For one

thing they need to do is drop Nicola Spirig. You are being

champion. A Lisa Norden has a great sprint. Andrea Hewitt last year

would have been a big threat, but this year she doesn't look quite as

strong. I think the main threat will be Densham. She has had some

real problems over the last few years. She had a heart operation in

2009, had to be pulled out of the water into more in. She has come

back to form this year and this is the Australia and that knocked out

Emma Snowsill, the reigning Olympic champion, from the Australian team.

The grandstand is going crazy as they come through transition. Real

threats to Helen. Nicola Spirig and Erin Densham, those would be my

medal contenders. Those of the three. Lisa Norden not quite so

much. They will ramp up the pace towards the end. If they drop Lisa

Norden, the medals will come from those three. She is on her way.

one of the previous Test events, she had that magnificent break

through and did so well. She must be thinking back on that and

wondering what if. Andrea Hewitt is still in 5th position, but she

hasn't lost contact. For front-five as the stragglers come through

transition. Generous and sympathetic applause for some of

these competitors. I'm looking at the pace splits on the first and

second lap. The first five athletes, the pace has remained exactly the

same throughout the first and second lap. It hasn't been an

increase, but it is just that constant pressure and the other

athletes haven't been able to stay with that sort of pace. Those

leading 5 are away. If Sarah Groff can get back, that would be

sensational. Behind the leading group of five. Riveros making a

move through the field. She was third in Madrid. She was fourth in

Kitsbuehel. She's a good runner, but there's an awful lot of work to

do for Riveros deals. She did not get things right on the water on

back through the field. Round the split term. Andrea Hewitt stays in

fifth place. Lisa Norden is in fourth but seems to be covering

everything. It is Nicola Spirig, Helen Jenkins and Erin Densham.

saw Paula in trouble on her bike with a mechanical problem. But a

couple of years ago, she was the bright new thing for world

triathlon, but here she is being lapped in the Olympic event in Hyde

Park. Now there's been an injection of pace from Erin Densham. Nicola

Spirig, Lisa Norden and Jenkins have all responded. Sometimes when

they go round a turn in triathlon, one of the leading contenders might

look for a slingshot out of the turn and kick away from the field.

Densham is trying to stretch them. Jenkins so far has recovered.

Norden is there. Nicola Spirig, from Switzerland, is starting to

fade slightly. Densham has the lead for Australia, with Helen Jenkins

Dench and -- Densham... Jenkins has lost a little bit of ground. That

slingshot effect reworked. We saw Andrea Hewitt working herself back

twice there when she lost contact. With the injection of pace that

Densham put in, that seems to have pushed Andrea back by 25 metres. It

looked like Helen Jenkins didn't cover immediately, but credit to

Helen, she tried to cover it in a couple of steps. She eased herself

back in. Just three medals to play for, that's going to be going

through the athletes heads. Erin Densham has put at pace in nice and

early. Is that a show of strength or is it may be just a little bit

of a hint of vulnerability, that she does not want to leave it down

to a sprint finish? Everything is covered. Alan Jenkins is in fourth

place but she is covering, covering, enormous amount of noise. Helen

Jenkins will take some encouragement from the fact that

thousands have come out to watch her compete in this Olympic

triathlon. Densham officially the leader, but Norden, Nicola Spirig

and Jenkins are right up there as well. I think Helen Jenkins will be

happy to be in this fourth position. She can see the other athletes,

she's covering everything. She has that half a pace distance between

herself and Lisa Norden. She knows the strengths and weaknesses of

these athletes, she's raced against them are so many times. Andrea

Hewitt dropped it off. You've got to give credit to Sarah Groff, who

despite that early losing position, has just continued to work and work.

Even with just that gap, you've got to say, well, maybe there is just a

possibility that she might come back. Nicola Spirig looks very

leaders after the Second transition when they parked up their bikes,

but now she's battling for one of Olympic triathlon in Hyde Park.

They are well on their way now. Almost completing the third lap of

four. 10,000m in total on foot to finish off this Olympic distance

triathlon. As we approach the last lap, they have eight-and-a-half

minutes of pure agony and suffering to go through. Is it going to be a

question of who wants it burst... Next time they are on the straight

way, they will be sensing victory or sensing they can't stay with it.

They can't leave it too late. Helen cannot afford to leave it too late.

She knows how powerful Nicola Spirig and Lisa Norden can be on

the sprint. If anything, we will hope that Helen Jenkins would look

to inject some pace, perhaps as they come towards the end of lap

number three. Andrea Hewitt has worked so hard but has lost her

position in that lead four. Helen Jenkins begins to move to the front.

Jenkins leads the Olympic triathlon. She's looking for water to cool

herself down. Now she has injected a modicum of pace into the end of

this third lap. Lisa Norden, in fourth place, as soon as Helen it

started making a move, there was just that lengthening of stride,

the elbows just pushed that little bit harder. It it was an attempt by

Helen to get away, but perhaps she just wanted more space to take her

drink cleanly, it was covered by Norden. Sarah Groff, what a

tremendous second half of this when she has had. Coming towards the end

of lap three. Helen Jenkins of Great Britain leads the Olympic

triathlon, with Nicola Spirig of Switzerland in 2nd and Erin Densham

of Australia in third. Norden is off, Sarah Groff is further off the

pace than a camera angle may suggest, but she hasn't lost total

contact. There is an outside chance of a medal here for Sarah Groff. If

one of the leading group starts to fade. That really would be

sensational. How has Sarah Groff done that? She is still just that

little bit loose, but that was 25 to 30 metres on the previous lap.

She is now to within just 10m of it. She is running by herself. She

looks very confident. This is where three of four. All eyes in the park

on Helen Jenkins of Great Britain, born in Scotland, lives in Bridgend

in South Wales. The double world champion in 2008 and in 2010 --

2011. We had a tiny bit of dropping off in place on matt-black but it

really was just tiny. -- on that lap. Perhaps that is just what

Sarah Groff needed if she was maintaining her early pace. She's

almost back in with that leading four. That would be very surprising.

That is almost going back to the days of Australian superstar Greg

Welch. He would get completely lost on the bike and have the ability to

close in the run. A fabulous run Extraordinary work from the

American triathletes. It is Densham who takes her time as they cross

the Serpentine, where it all began and around 53 minutes ago, as they

died from that blue pontoon to start this London 2012 Olympic

triathlon. It was introduced to the Olympic programme in Sydney 2000.

There has never been a British Olympic triathlon medallist. Maybe

today, maybe Helen Jenkins as kept enough in reserve to make her mark.

They continue with this final lap on the run. Where does the power

lie? Sarah Groff has come from behind. She had the fastest split

on lap three by about seven seconds. If she is feeling supremely

confident, she knows she can cover everything. They go towards the out

and back. No one of them try and slingshot of this term and kick

away? Densham comes around in first and she makes a burst. She is being

followed by the remaining four. They didn't let her get away.

Densham tried it but it didn't succeed. The Australian was covered

shoulder barge with a Sarah Groff. Sarah Groff wants to fight to win

through towards the front. Now Jenkins trails in fifth. She is

very handily placed. She is in fifth, a slight loss there, almost

getting caught up on the feet of Sarah Groff as she comes through.

We are getting closer and closer, into the final two: it has now.

Densham has done so much work but, ominously, Nicola Spirig, who we

know can sprint, has been happy to cover absolutely everything, as

space on the left-hand side of the course. Hewitt is down in a six,

been a couple of attempts by Erin Densham. The pace has been raced

again. -- has been increased again. Jenkins has let Amy de Grote two

two macro metres. The front four have moved clear of Helen Jenkins

on the final lap. Can the British number one respond? She is digging

deep. She is trying hard. Is there anything left for Helen Jenkins to

offer here? The crowd doing their best to encourage her. An uphill

stage there. She tries to kick and close the gap. Each lap is two-and-

a-half kilometres. Just over a kilometre to go now. Credit to

Helen Jenkins, that injection of pace. She's tried to re-establish.

She really does have to dig him very deeply and see if there's

anything left as she turns at the end of the Serpentine back into the

home straight. At the moment, the two athletes who have covered

everything, Nicola Spirig and Lisa Norden, are looking very strong.

Erin Densham has done so much work. Sarah Groff, who has come from way

back, we didn't think she was going to re-establish that she has done.

She's got to be seen as somebody who is in contention. At the moment

it is heartbreak for Helen Jenkins and the thousands in Hyde Park

watching her race. She's been position. That is just so tough.

She worked so hard for it. All the pressure of a home Olympics, the

pressure of the British media and the British public wanting and

willing her to win. Just losing contact on that final mile.

Meanwhile, re-establishing huge contact, one of Helen's biggest

rivals, Sarah Groff. She really closed everything. It looks like an

injection of pace. Norden, if anything, looks the easiest of the

front four. Norden has just tucked in behind throughout, happy to sit

in third or fourth position. We know she's got a decent sprint

finish. Will that be what clinches of those metal map -- metal

to will have forward to produce something to finish amongst the

medals. It looks as if the three medals will go to three of this

Spirig instigated that one. Densham covered. Sarah Groff has moved on.

She is so full of running. Lisa Norden is in fourth, but if

anything, it's the slowest of the leading four. She must believe she

has the capability to cover everything and out sprint. Nicola

Spirig right the way through. Nicola Spirig is really going for

the line. Nicola Spirig leads the Olympic triathlon for Switzerland.

The 30-year-old was 6th in Beijing, second in the world championships

in 2010. One of the oldest in the competition today. She is being

tracked by Lisa Norden of Sweden. Erin Densham's head is starting to

shake. The three of them come for a Nicola Spirig. What a photo finish

in the Olympic triathlon! Absolutely extraordinary! Nicola

Spirig and Lisa Norden hit the line together. Densham will take the

bronze. It is officially a dead heat. It is a dead heat. Nicola

Spirig and Lisa Norden. Officially first and second, but the times

says 0.00. We watch Helen Jenkins finish. Jenkins is out of the

finishes I think I have ever seen, that was hurt, guts, determination,

the whole of the final lap, and Lisa Norden held her hands high,

she has been given second place. Quite rightly, with the same time,

and we are waiting to hear if it is the Swiss athlete in first and Lisa

Norden in second, or if they are Sarah Groff, Helen Jenkins, and she

wept. -- Andrea Hewitt. Two seconds between first place and third place,

the closest Olympic triathlon finish I have ever seen. It is

going to be a photo finish, which means, officially, if we are to

believe the results graphic, it will be a gold medal for the Swiss

We knew it was going to be the race of your life, and it looked like

you gave it your all. I gave it everything, I could not hang in

there. This has been the hardest 10 weeks of my career. I had an injury.

It is really hard to get to the start line. I am amazed I was in

contention for that long. I have not been able to get all of my

running him. I gave it everything, and the crowd helped so much. My

team have got me to the start line, and everybody shouting, I gave it

everything. The crowd were willing due on, they will be so proud of

how well you have done and how hard you for it. I was so grateful, it

was a shame that Vicky crashed, and Lucy kept the pace on and make sure

they did not get caught, so the team have been amazing. We did

everything right, and I have not been able to get all of the

training in. Everything else was right cover just my running legs.

You could not keep up with them to was the end, he could see it that

you were thinking you could not believe you were out. When I get

tired, my head drops and my legs were going up. Congratulations to

the top three girls, they fought for that, well deserved winners.

Bad luck. Thank you. It was a thrilling finish to the

triathlon. It looked like a dead heat, but we have heard that the

Swiss athlete has won the gold medal. Have you ever seen a finish

like that? It is unprecedented, amazing to watcher. I was jumping

up and down. Then we had the four, and then Sarah Groff... She was

incredible, she came up like a rocket. That would have hired her,

so I am not surprised she did not make the podium, but she showed

great tenacity. A phenomenal Finnish. This is how they came up.

For a few moments, we did not know who had won. A two hour race, and

it comes down to the wire. Milliseconds that split them. But a

great racer by those two athletes. You can see the determination on

their faces. It was phenomenal to say. A great result for Nicola, I

have trained with her, I know her very well, and I am pleased to see

that her hard work over the past 10 years has paid off. It was not the

case for Helen Jenkins, she did well until the last kilometre.

she said in the interview, you never know what an athlete has had

to contend with, coming in. Her form was great, but she has been

carrying any injury, so she did well to stay in contention until

the third lap, but she did not quite have the running speed to be

able to stay with the leaders towards the end. But a tremendous

performance, a gutsy performance, and it affects you mentally, going

into a race, when you know you are not in peak condition, said to

overcome those nerves, it shows great determination. I am sure it

is not the last we have seen of her. Also in the Great Britain team,

Vicky Holland. I have got Vicky Holland, Helen

Jenkins and Lucy Hall. You were a start, you did exactly what you

were supposed to do, and you showed why you were selected. In hindsight,

I should have come back a bit more. We were spread out, and I assumed

that they were there. Apologies. worked well, because the pack had