Alex Yee from Britain won the men’s triathlon title on Wednesday following a late surge during the 10km run to overhaul pacesetter Hayden Wilde.
The race comprising a 1500m swim, a 40km cycle ride and the run was scheduled for Tuesday morning but postponed until Wednesday morning due to poor water quality in the river Seine.
Following the swim and cycle, Yee and Wilde immediately surged clear in the run
Wilde, the bronze medallist in Tokyo in 2021, made an early move to go clear. But Yee, who won silver in Tokyo, declined the challenge from the New Zealander.
He eventually strode clear in the final 300 metres.
“I honestly thought the race was over for me,” said the 26-year-old. “But I wanted to give myself that one last chance and not give up,” said Yee.
Leo Bergère of France took the bronze a couple of hours after Cassandre Beaugrand won the women’s race.
“I never stopped believing,” said Beaugrand “It was the dream of my life and I’ve achieved it,” the 27-year-old added.
“I was trying not to let myself get destabilized, because when you hear the fans, your whole body tenses up. But it was just incredible, I had chills all over. I didn’t want to lift my arms until I crossed the line and say: ‘I’ve finally done it.'”