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, whose married name is Hansen, is a talented triathlete from New Zealand. She was born in Auckland on October 8, 1982. A triathlete competes in a race called a triathlon, which combines swimming, cycling, and running. Debbie showed her amazing skills by competing in big events like the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
About Debbie Tanner
Debbie Tanner started her sports journey when she was just eleven years old. She took part in the Weetbix Triathlon. As she grew up, she won many national and school titles. These wins were in swimming, cycling, running, and triathlon.
By the age of fifteen, Debbie was recognized for her achievements. She received an honors award for her success in both academics and sports. In her final year of school, she was chosen as the deputy head prefect and the school sports captain. Debbie later went to the University of Auckland. There, she earned her bachelor's degree in Sport Science and Recreation. Debbie's sister, Nikki Jean, was also a talented athlete. She qualified for the women's backstroke swimming at the 1998 Commonwealth Games.
Debbie's Sports Career
Debbie Tanner joined the national team in 2000. Her first big competition was the ITU World Championships in Perth, where she competed in the junior category. From then on, she showed great determination and a positive attitude. This helped her reach a higher level in international sports.
In 2006, Debbie qualified for the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. She was chosen to be part of the national team. Even though she trained hard, she finished fourth in the women's triathlon. Her teammate, Andrea Hewitt, finished just ahead of her. Despite this, Debbie quickly found success again. In the same year, she won her first major international title. This was at the ITU World Triathlon Cup in Ishigaki.
After her first big win, Debbie continued to achieve great results. She won a silver medal in Hamburg. She also earned three bronze medals at different World Cup events across Europe and Asia. Besides these five World Cup medals, Debbie also finished in the top ten nine other times.
Olympic and Later Years
Debbie Tanner competed in her first Olympic Games in 2008. This was at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. She finished tenth in the women's triathlon. Her teammate, Andrea Hewitt, finished just two places ahead of her. Debbie's performance at the Olympics showed her strong desire to be the best triathlete for New Zealand. She hoped to win an Olympic gold medal in future games.
In 2009, Debbie achieved another goal. She won the gold medal at the ITU Triathlon Oceania Cup in Wellington. She also competed consistently in seven events of the Dextro Energy World Championship Series. In these races, she often finished in the top ten, but she did not win any medals. In 2010, Debbie was again beaten by Andrea Hewitt. This happened at the OTU Triathlon Oceania Championships in Wellington, where Debbie finished in second place.
After three years of consistent but sometimes disappointing results, Debbie missed out on the national team for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. On October 20, 2012, Debbie Tanner announced her retirement from triathlon. Her last race was the women's event at the Barfoot & Thompson World Triathlon Grand Final in Auckland.
See also
In Spanish: Debbie Tanner para niños
