Hayden Wilde has won New Zealand's first medal at the Tokyo Olympics, taking bronze in the men's triathlon in Odaiba Bay.
Hayden Wilde wins bronze at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Photo: John Cowpland / Photosport
Wilde was 37th after the opening swim leg but made up ground on the bike and started the final run leg in the top ten.
He quickly moved into the top three and that's where he would remain for the rest of the race, running his way to bronze and Aotearoa's first medal of Tokyo 2020.
Norway's Kristian Blummenfelt delivered a late surge to break clear on a sweltering run leg and take the gold medal, while Britain's Alex Yee held up the nation's success in the sport coming in second.
Fellow New Zealander Tayler Reid was also in the top 10 at the start of the run and eventually finished 18th.
Wilde's bronze is New Zealand's first Olympic triathlon medal since Bevan Docherty won bronze at the 2008 Beijing Games.
Wilde burst into tears shortly after crossing the finish line.
He said the bronze was for his family, in particular his dad who died 12 years ago and never got to see him race.
Wilde has a chance to collect another medal on Saturday in the inaugural mixed team triathlon.
Hayden Wilde wins bronze at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Photo: John Cowpland / Photosport
Hamish Carter won gold with Docherty taking the silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Now general manager of performance for Triathlon New Zealand, Carter said Wilde and his coach had delivered a fantastic performance and he was proud of him.
"The race over here was a bit cooler than it has been, so it wasn't a super hot day.
"They'd been racing for a good hour and a half before they started the run, and I think the last lap was really, really tough," Carter told Midday Report.
"The eventual runner managed to break away and the athlete from Great Britain Alex Yee held on for seconds.
"Hayden performed incredibly well, and with a bad start in the swim, his race was in risk of not coming together but it did work out for him, and he kept his cool and hung in there.
"I think achieving this for New Zealand, you know everyone gets behind the Olympic and the results the team gets mean a lot. It is pretty emotional but you just really feel the excitement over here, the New Zealand team is really pumped."
That moment when you win New Zealand’s first medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
— The New Zealand Team (@TheNZTeam) July 26, 2021
Hayden Wilde You are incredible
#Bronze suits you!@gettyimages #EarnTheFern well and truly #Earned#KoTātauTeKapaOAotearoa#WeAreTheNZTeam #Olympics pic.twitter.com/azuAWHsVhS
The Olympic Games summed up in one picture.#TeamGB pic.twitter.com/LzE4mPq3L1
— Team GB (@TeamGB) July 26, 2021
Incredible effort and amazing display of sportsmanship at the finish line. Absolute legend pic.twitter.com/ymo54IGYnu
— Darren Overton (@Darren_Overton) July 26, 2021
- RNZ
