From David Powell in Sydney

Lessing:
disappointing ©PA

On its Olympic debut over the weekend, triathlon proved an irresistible spectacle but, for the Great Britain team, the memories will be of spectacular failure. "A disaster for us would be no medals for the men and no woman in the top ten," Greg Millet, the national performance director, had said beforehand. With Simon Lessing in his squad, Millet felt he could say that with little fear of his statement coming back to haunt him. Haunt him it will, though.

Lessing finished ninth today. Yet, so luckless was the team, that he was still the best placed British finisher in either the men’s or women’s race. Four times the Olympic distance world champion, Lessing was let down. Well short of the victory which his record and reputation suggested should have been his, it was, ironically, his reputation that proved his downfall.

Describing himself as "a marked man", Lessing said that his chances had been stifled by the tactics of the cycling leg. He had hoped that, after a strong swim, he would find himself clear of the other fast runners after the ride, but the early breakaway group, of which he was a part, was hauled in by the pack. Needing to produce the best run of his career, he was found wanting.

"It amounted to a tactical choice," Lessing said. "Unfortunately, I am a marked man and people wait to see what I am going to do. If I don’t do anything, they don’t do anything. If I chase, they chase. Usually, you come off the bike and know whether you have the legs or not. I came off and felt heavy."

Once his early breakaway group in the ride had been caught, Lessing made no attempt to dictate. When, on the fifth of six laps of the technical cycling circuit, Olivier Marceau, the world champion, from France, and Conrad Stoltz, from South Africa, broke away, Lessing chose not to go with them. A superior runner to both, had he done so the outcome may have been different. With Marceau and Stoltz reaching the second transition a minute clear of the huge pack of 40 riders, the race was poised for a finish as dramatic as the women’s event yesterday.

Stoltz was soon dropped by Marceau, who was in turn passed by Stephan Vuckovic, from Germany. Vuckovic led the charge from out the pack but Simon Whitfield, from Canada, had kept him in his sights. As in the women’s race where Brigitte McMahon, from Switzerland, beat Michellie Jones, from Australia, by three seconds, the men’s title was decided in the last 200 metres.

Whitfield, who has never won a world championship medal, and who had crashed on the ride but recovered brilliantly, made up the gap to Vuckovic and sprinted past in a finish closer than the times suggest. Whitfield covered the 1,500 metre swim, 40 kilometre ride and 10 kilometre run in 1hr 48.24.02sec, Vuckovic 13 seconds behind. Most of that time difference was taken by Vuckovic, resigned to the silver medal 50m from the end, stopping to collect German flags flags from supporters to carry to the finish.

Among the first observations made by Whitfield related to Lessing. "Simon is so intimidating because he is so big and so confident," he said. He mentioned the pressure Lessing was under and wondered whether that may have affected him. Lessing appeared to admit that it had to a degree. "Maybe in 2004 [Athens] the pressure will be off and I can be one of those guys who takes a chance," he said.

In 2004, Lessing will be 33, but, provided he retains his competitive appetite, his age should not prevent him from being a contender. Tim Don, by contrast, knows time is on his side. The 1998 world junior champion, Don finished only one position, and four seconds, behind Lessing. At 22, he was the second youngest finisher in the top 20. Among the British squad of three men and three women, Don was the only success story.

Andrew Johns, the British No 2, withdrew during the ride after catching flu last week. In the women’s race, Britain’s three competitors suffered a catalogue of misfortune. Sian Brice was brought down in a cycling pile-up and failed to finish, as did Michelle Dillon, after her handlebars worked loose. Steph Forrester finished 15th, losing time in transition when she could not free the zip on her wetsuit.

Don qualified for the team only two months ago, having to scramble his way in after breaking an arm in March when he came off his bike when swerving to avoid a lorry while training in South Africa. "I had an operation and had six weeks out with another six weeks to get fit for the trials," he said.

Expressing sympathy for Lessing, Don said: "I live in the real world and you do not always get what you deserve. But do not write Simon off. He will come back stronger and tougher." Aware that much of Britain will recall his Olympic result more readily that his long list of other successes, Lessing said: "I don’t think you can judge a whole career on one race."

But the sport can be. With the spectacular backdrop of Sydney Harbour, an interesting course, record crowds for the sport, dramatic crashes and close races, triathlon has presented the perfect case for inclusion on the 2004 Olympic programme.