Debbie Tanner facts for kids
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Tanner (now Hansen) in 2020
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 8 October 1982 Auckland, New Zealand |
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| Height | 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 48 kg (106 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country |  New Zealand |
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| Coached by | Pete Pfitzinger | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Debbie Tanner (now known as Debbie Hansen) is a super talented triathlete from New Zealand. She was born in Auckland on October 8, 1982. Debbie is famous for her amazing skills in triathlon, a sport that combines swimming, cycling, and running. She even competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and got fourth place at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne!
Contents
Debbie Tanner's Early Life and Sports Journey
Debbie Tanner started her sports adventure when she was just eleven years old. She took part in the Weetbix Triathlon. From a young age, she showed incredible talent. She won many national and school titles. These wins were in swimming, cycling, running, and triathlon.
School Achievements
By the time she was fifteen, Debbie was already a star. She earned an honors award for being great at both schoolwork and sports. In her final year, she was chosen as deputy head prefect. She was also the school's sports captain. After school, Debbie went to the University of Auckland. There, she studied Sport Science and Recreation. Debbie's sister, Nikki Jean, was also a talented swimmer. She competed in the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur.
Debbie's Amazing Triathlon Career
Debbie Tanner joined the national team for triathlon when she was a junior. Her first big competition was the 2000 ITU World Championships in Perth. From that moment, she showed how strong, determined, and positive she was. She quickly became a top athlete on the world stage.
Big Wins and Challenges
In 2006, Debbie was chosen for the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. Even though she trained very hard, she finished fourth. This was just behind her teammate, Andrea Hewitt. It was a bit disappointing, but Debbie didn't give up! Later that same year, she won a major international title. This was at the ITU World Triathlon Cup in Ishigaki.
After her first big win, Debbie kept achieving great things. She earned a silver medal in Hamburg. She also won three bronze medals at other World Cup events. These events took place in different countries across Europe and Asia. On top of her five World Cup medals, Debbie finished in the top ten nine more times!
Competing at the Olympics
Debbie Tanner competed in her first 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. She finished tenth in the women's triathlon. Her time was 2 hours, 1 minute, and 6 seconds. She was just two spots behind her teammate, Andrea Hewitt. Being in the Olympics made Debbie even more determined. She wanted to be the best triathlete for New Zealand. She also dreamed of winning an Olympic gold medal in the future.
In 2009, Debbie achieved another goal. She won the gold medal at the ITU Triathlon Oceania Cup in Wellington. She also competed in seven Dextro Energy World Championship Series races. She often finished in the top ten, even though she didn't win a medal in those specific races. In 2010, she came in second place at the OTU Triathlon Oceania Championships in Wellington. Andrea Hewitt won that race.
Retirement from Triathlon
After a few years of tough competition, Debbie didn't make the national team for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. On October 20, 2012, Debbie Tanner announced she was retiring from triathlon. Her last race was the women's event at the Barfoot & Thompson World Triathlon Grand Final in Auckland. She had an amazing career filled with hard work and great achievements!
See also
In Spanish: Debbie Tanner para niños
