After nearly two decades building a reputation as one of the most revered short course triathletes on the planet, Andrea Hansen is loving the transition from elite sportswoman to “world class mum” in training.
The Christchurch 40-year-old has officially called time on her glittering 18-year-old career, sensationally ignited when she became U23 world champion in Japan in September 2005 – just seven months after taking up the sport.
Hansen (née Hewitt) went on to represent New Zealand at three Olympic and four Commonwealth Games.
“I was training for the Tokyo Olympics [originally scheduled for 2020] but when the world turned upside down with COVID, it just worked out it was a good time to start a family,” Hansen said.
Daughter Flossie arrived in early 2021 and Hansen expertly juggled motherhood and training for Birmingham.
“After Flossie, I didn’t know how that was going to go but I always thought I would get back into some sort of sport and it just happened that the Commonwealth Games was the next year so it all worked out.”
Hansen went to her first Commonwealth Games in 2006, winning the individual bronze medal in Melbourne. She finished 3rd in her first World Triathlon Cup race in Mooloolaba a week later and celebrated her maiden World Cup victory at Kitzbühel, Austria in July 2007.
She recorded 8th, 6th and 7th place finishes at the 2008 Beijing, 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympic Games respectively and added 4th, 13th and 18th places at the 2014 Glasgow, 2018 Gold Coast and 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games to her bronze in Melbourne.
There was also a bronze medal to savour with Ryan Sissons, Tayler Reid and Nicole van der Kaay in the Mixed Relay on the Gold Coast.
“It’s been amazing to represent my country,” Hansen said. “I wouldn’t want to compete for any other country, competing for New Zealand around the world is pretty cool, we’re welcomed everywhere and NZ has a good sporting record so it was great to be part of it.”
Tweet Share