Alex Yee was unable to produce the podium finish he wanted on his return to World Triathlon Championship Series racing in London as he came home in 14th.
The Olympic champion faced a difficult afternoon after struggling in the swim, before a crash during the bike stage left him well back heading into the final discipline. Despite the setbacks, Yee delivered the quickest run of any athlete (13:52) to fight his way back through the field and give the passionate British crowd something to shout about as he crossed the line.
Yee on swim struggles and crash
“It’s just not quite the swim delivery I wanted,” said Yee. “After about 100 metres of the swim, I just got very much caught up between two or three guys, just literally kind of shoulder-to-shoulder. From that point, it was very much trying to salvage my swim rather than try and be positive with it. I managed to move up well through the boys and then lose a little bit on the way back in.
“I was able to ride fairly well. I was able to move up a little bit on the bike into that second group. At one point, I thought we were going to progress pretty well, but then they got working at the front. Maybe a little bit of motorbike assistance as well came into play.
“Unfortunately, I had a little bit of a crash on the way back into T2, but these things happen.”
Hauser wins, Stapley best Brit
Matthew Hauser claimed the WTCS London victory after a strong all-round performance, with Vasco Vilaça finishing second and Csongor Lehmann third. The Australian’s win moved him to third in the overall standings while Max Stapley was the best-finishing Brit in 12th.
Pride and home crowd inspiration
While the result was not what he had hoped for, Yee said being able to complete the race on home soil and test himself again was an important step forward after a difficult period.
“I was able to be inspired by the amazing crowd that came out here, that pushed me through that run,” he continued. “I’m proud to just be able to finish a race, to be honest, and be able to push myself to the limit, because there’s been a few reasons why I haven’t been able to do that before.”
Yee also praised the return of WTCS racing to London, with the unique venue of the ExCeL allowing athletes to race close to the fans and create a memorable atmosphere.
He said: “I think massive kudos to World Triathlon that we were able to have a race back here. I hope it stays, and we can continue having this for many years to come. London 2012 is something which left an impact on me, and hopefully this can light a fire for someone else watching.”
Looking ahead to LA28
Looking ahead, Yee remains focused on his long-term goals, including the challenge of qualifying for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. But he knows there is still work to do, particularly in the swim, where he believes he is currently below his best level.
“I’d say pride, to be honest,” Yee said when asked about his emotions after the race. “I’m proud that I was able to give it 100%. You can’t be one per cent off in any of these disciplines, and I’m probably five per cent off where I need to be in the swim, or where I have been in the swim.”
British stars, including Alex Yee, Beth Potter, Georgia Taylor-Brown, and Sophie Evans, competed at the World Triathlon Championship Series (WTCS) London, with Olympic qualifying points on the line. For more information visit Triathlonlive.tv and TNT Sports in the UK.
