New Zealand triathlete Kris Gemmell said the 2008 Beijing Olympics triathlon course at the Ming Tomb Reservoir is a favorite.

"It suits me down to the ground. I couldn't ask for anything better," Gemmell said, after being handed the Manawatu Sportsperson of the Year award, New Zealand, at the weekend.

"Beijing is a course where the all-round triathletes will win the gold at the Olympics," the 30-year-old Gemmell said.

Gemmell qualified for the Games during the Beijing World Cup event in September. He finished fourth in a time of 1:49:15, just behind fellow New Zealander Bevan Docherty, who also qualified for the Beijing Games.

(Xinhua News Agency November 26, 2007)