Wanaka Olympian Nicky Samuels is a casualty of Triathlon New Zealand's new long-term policy and has been left out of the national squad.
Samuels was unable to be reached for comment yesterday but her coach, Mark Elliott, said she was shocked to get the bad news.
''I was very disappointed. Nicky's an incredibly motivated and driven athlete,'' Elliott said.
''The challenge for Nicky now will be to decide where her future is and whether she wants to prove them wrong.''
Disappointing results at the London Olympics - Samuels was 35th, and the best Kiwi was sixth-placed Andrea Hewitt - have caused Triathlon New Zealand to re-think its selection policy.
An independent review has led to drastic changes in support, resources and funding for the athletes. Last year, 21 triathletes were supported, and that number has been reduced to 14.
Elliott intends to discuss the future with Samuels over the next two weeks, and will plan her international programme if she chooses to continue the sport at the top level.
''It depends what choice Nicky makes. Tri NZ has made a decision and it is up to Nicky what pathway she chooses to make,'' Elliott said. The big problem for Samuels is to get enough funding to compete at world cups and get enough points to qualify for the world series and the world championships in London later this year.
''The two ways to get funding are to get sponsors or to race overseas for prizemoney,'' Elliott said.
''Nicky has the capacity to do that in the United States. She will have to weigh it up to see if that is the approach she will take. It could fund her campaign.
''Racing in America is not the same as International Triathlon Union and world cup Olympic distance events.''
Samuels (29) first made an impact on the international scene when she won a silver medal at the world 20 to 24 age-group championships in 2003. Last year, she won two world cup events.
She is known as a fighter and fought back from adversity to become an Olympic athlete last year.
''She had a couple of heart operations and an emergency appendix operation and still managed to make the Olympics,'' Elliott said.
''She's extremely tenacious and one of the hardest trainers I've ever worked with.''
The triathletes are in three groups. Andrea Hewitt, Kate McIlroy and Ryan Sissons (podium) are medal prospects at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games in 2016.
The six-strong podium development group is aiming at top-eight finishes in Rio de Janeiro and podium spots in 2020. This group includes Tony Dodds, of Wanaka, who has made rapid progress over the last two years.
Included in the development group of five aiming for podium spots in 2020 is Aaron Barclay, of Gore.
