Bevan Docherty says he's mounted his last Olympic campaign, but he hasn't necessarily finished with competing in Olympic-distance triathlons.
Along with Kris Gemmell, Docherty will head New Zealand's challenge in the men's race at the world championship series grand final in Auckland on Sunday.
After that, the United States-based 35-year-old will switch his attention to longer endurance events like the Ironman.
But Docherty, the winner of two Olympic medals and a world championship title, also says he still has the desire to compete over the regular triathlon distance of 1.5km swim, 40km bike ride and 10km run.
He has already pencilled in a race next year in San Diego, which is near where he lives.
"If training has been going well, then I might give that a crack," he said.
"London was my last Olympic campaign and I'm excited about the future. I have to get this one out of the way first."
The Auckland course features a tough bike leg, which has Docherty and his New Zealand team-mates licking their lips.
They believe the hilly terrain plays more to their strengths.
After Olympic silver in Athens and bronze in Beijing, Docherty finished a respectable 12th in London in August on a flat track that favoured the speedsters.
"I've wanted courses like this and, for me personally, it's been quite frustrating the limited hard courses that this series has had," Docherty said.
"It just makes our sport a little bit tougher and certainly more spectator friendly."
Britain's Jonathan Brownlee sits top of the points table heading into the world series grand final, ahead of Spain's Javier Gomez.
The pair finished with bronze and silver respectively in London, behind Brownlee's brother, Alistair, who is absent from Auckland after having appendix surgery.
Docherty is 14th on the table, one spot ahead of Gemmell.
