View source for Kris Gemmell

{{Short description|New Zealand triathlete}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
[[File:Kris Gemmell.jpg|thumb|right|Gemmell wins 2006 Corner Brook Triathlon, Canada]]
'''Kris Gemmell''' (born 28 April 1977, in [[Palmerston North]]) is a New Zealand [[triathlon|triathlete]], and 2002 World [[Aquathon]] Champion in [[Cancún]], [[Mexico]]. He has also competed in the [[2002 Commonwealth Games|2002]] and [[2006 Commonwealth Games]] finishing 6th and 5th respectively.

Kris Gemmell has been racing on the [[International Triathlon Union]] (ITU) World Cup circuit since 1998 and has had numerous wins and podium finishes.

==Career progression==
When Kris moved from Palmerston North to [[Christchurch]] in the late 1990s to study at the [[University of Canterbury]], he was an aspiring [[Rugby union]] player. However an injury led to a chain of events that resulted in Kris coming to the attention and under the guidance of Doctor John Hellemans. Hellemans is a well known multiple World Champion Triathlete and coach.

In 1997, Gemmell competed in the ITU junior World Championships in [[Perth, Western Australia|Perth]] [[Australia]] coming a 6th in a field that included future World Champion [[Ivan Rana]]. Kris' breakthrough race on the world stage in the senior ranks came in 2000 when he claimed 3rd place at the [[Tokyo]] round of the ITU World Cup.

Gemmell was selected for the [[2002 Commonwealth Games]] in [[Manchester]], [[England]] where he placed second for New Zealand and sixth in overall. Later that year, he became World Champion in the [[aquathon]] before later in the week backing it up with an 8th place at the [[Triathlon]] World Championships in Cancún Mexico.

Disappointment followed as Kris suffered some injuries and missed selection to the three-person New Zealand [[Olympic Games|Olympic]] team for [[Athens]] in [[2004 Summer Olympics|2004]]. Nevertheless, the year ended on a high note with his first ITU World Cup victory in [[Gamagori]], [[Japan]].

2005 and 2006 saw more good results on the World stage and selection to his second [[Commonwealth Games]] this time in [[Melbourne]] Australia. After finishing 5th Kris had a series of 4th placings including at the World Championships in [[Lausanne]] [[Switzerland]]. Kris also won at [[Corner Brook]] [[Canada]] and his consistent year was rewarded with 5th place in the ITU points rankings for the year (2006).

In 2007, Gemmell had enjoyed another consistent season with three podiums and two fourth places. One of those fourths was at the Beijing round of the ITU World Cup and this result gained Kris a nomination for the New Zealand Triathlon team to race at the [[2008 Summer Olympics]] in Beijing.  At Beijing, he finished in 39th place.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.olympic.org/olympic-results/beijing-2008/triathlon/individual-m|title = Beijing 2008 - Men's Triathlon|access-date = 26 September 2014|website = www.olympic.org|publisher = IOC}}</ref>  He qualified again for the 2012 Summer Olympics, and finished in 15th place.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.olympic.org/olympic-results/london-2012/triathlon/individual-m|title = London 2012 - Men's Triathlon|access-date = 26 September 2014|website = www.olympic.org|publisher = IOC}}</ref>

==Cycling==
Kris has also raced alongside professional [[cyclists]] in [[Union Cycliste Internationale|UCI]] sanctioned events such as the Tour of Southland and the [[Tour of Wellington]]. In 2007 Kris joined the [[Subway (restaurant)|Subway]] team for the Tour of Wellington as they both are sponsored by [[Avanti (bicycle manufacturer)|Avanti Bikes]] to kick start his season.

==In the media==
Kris narrowly missed selection to the 2004 [[Olympics]] in Athens but was named as 'first reserve'. After training with other team members [[Hamish Carter]] and [[Bevan Docherty]] in [[France]] Kris was invited by [[TVNZ]] to give 'expert' comments on the men's and women's races. Carter and Docherty famously claimed the Gold and Silver medals and Gemmell was able to reassure broadcaster [[Brendon Telfer]] and the New Zealand Television audience that the Australian [[Greg Bennett (triathlete)|Greg Bennett]] would not catch the two New Zealanders.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070127123829/http://www.gemmell.co.nz/ Kris Gemmell's Official website]
* [http://www.subwaycycling.co.nz Subway Cycling Team - Professional New Zealand Cycling Team]
* [http://www.avantibikes.com/riders/kris_gemmell.aspx Profile of Kris Gemmell]
* [http://www.avantibikes.com Avanti Bikes - Kris's Bike Sponsor]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100515180110/http://www.palmychicks.co.nz/profile/bloke_krisgemmell.htm Profile of a Palmy Bloke - Kris Gemmell]

{{Footer Aquathlon World Champions men}}
{{2002 New Zealand Commonwealth Games team}}
{{2006 New Zealand Commonwealth Games team}}
{{2008 New Zealand Olympic team}}
{{2012 New Zealand Olympic team}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gemmell, Kris}}
[[Category:1977 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Palmerston North]]
[[Category:Triathletes at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic triathletes for New Zealand]]
[[Category:Triathletes at the 2002 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Triathletes at the 2006 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games competitors for New Zealand]]
[[Category:Triathletes at the 2012 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:New Zealand male triathletes]]
[[Category:20th-century New Zealand people]]
[[Category:21st-century New Zealand people]]