Hayden Wilde was forced to step aside and let Alex Yee pass him for the gold medal at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games. Photo: Photosport
Triathlon New Zealand is still hopeful it can turn Hayden Wilde's Commonwealth Games silver medal into gold.
The wait for the outcome of an appeal over a penalty which cost New Zealand triathlete Hayden Wilde the gold medal at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games continues.
Triathlon New Zealand, on behalf of Wilde, lodged an appeal last month and was still waiting on World Triathlon's decision on overturning a 10-second time penalty at the end of the cycle leg in Birmingham which Tri NZ believed was "incorrect".
No firm date has been given for this process, Tri NZ said in a statement.
Wilde combined a strong swim and cycle, and led Olympic silver medallist Alex Yee of England by 16 seconds going into the final five kilometre run at the Games.
But he was penalised after unclipping his helmet before racking his bike at the final changeover, and had to stand down for 10 seconds in the penalty box as the pair entered the finishing straight level.
Yee won in 50 minutes 34 seconds, Wilde was second in 50min 47sec and Australian Matthew Hauser took third, just three seconds behind Wilde.
"Regardless of the outcome, Tri NZ is proud of the way Hayden performed and then acted in the aftermath of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games race, including acknowledging the achievement of Alex Yee who won the gold medal," a Tri NZ spokesman said
"Tri NZ's appeal does not seek to overturn Yee's gold medal, rather [it] asks for the race result to be amended to provide two gold medals, one for Yee and one for Hayden given the incorrect penalty handed down in Birmingham."
After the race in July, New Zealand's most experienced triathlon coach at the Commonwealth Games, Dr John Hellemans, told RNZ "the penalty was unfairly applied".
"The referee was a bit caught out and made a quick decision," Hellemans said.
"When you review the footage it shows that he [the referee] didn't get it right.
"It totally cost him the race. You have to take the penalty otherwise you will be disqualified."
Wilde has won Olympic bronze and Commonwealth Games silver and is fast building an impressive career CV.
-RNZ
