This just in from Katherine Williams' TriDigest and confirmed in a BTA press release.

Queensland's Leanda Cave, the Australian who caused a stir by entering and winning the British Triathlon National Championships at Brighton last September, is now a true Brit. The British Triathlon Association announced Thursday that she was being welcomed to compete in British colours after her British passport and other paperwork was finalized. But this "late transfer" -- two years after four other Australians joined the GB ranks -- is not because she is making a run at the 2000 Olympics. The four Aussies-turned-Brits who preceded Cave are Andrew Johns (now ranked No 3); Chris Lee (now ranked No 232); Michelle Dillon (now ranked No 36); and Beth Thomson (now ranked No 79).

"After stewing about joining GB for almost two years now, I have made the ultimate decison," Cave said earlier this week. "Perhaps if I joined when the thought first crossed my mind, I may have been in contention for the Olympics, but this is not the case.

"The reasons for such changes occur not for a start at the Olympics, but rather for securing a start at ITU events, and possibly World Championships in the years to come. I have experienced -- since reaching the professional ranks in Australia (after being one of Australia's top juniors for some years) -- a dramatic downward spiral in support from my ex-association (Triathlon Australia)."

Cave gained the respect of most of the British girls when she turned up to race the National Championships in Brighton last year. She won the race, although she wasn't eligible for the title. She won't be eligible for the 2000 title either, nor can she represent Britain in the European Championships at Stein, Netherlands, in July. But she will be able to race for GB in ITU World Cup events in 2000 -- but not in the 2000 ITU World Championships. The exclusions -- including consideration for the 2000 Olympic team -- are the result of a new BTA policy.

When another international athlete with the 2000 Olympics in mind inquired about joining the GB squad last winter, the BTA decided that any athlete must effectively wait out a year before becoming eligible for team perks. That includes gaining Lottery funding, should they be good enough for being considered for the World Class Performance Plan.

Cave, who raced last season for a German club, was born in Louth, England. She has a British passport, as she migrated with her family to Australia when she was four. She is currently ranked No 66 with the ITU, and had finished seventh in the ITU Junior World Triathlon Championships in 1998. She had three ITU World Cup starts for Australia in 1999, finishing 32nd in Tiszaujvaros, 28th in Lausanne and 12th in Noosa.