By Mitch Phillips
PARIS (Reuters) -Briton Alex Yee ran a perfectly-paced 10km to snatch a dramatic Olympic triathlon gold on Wednesday, overhauling a fading Hayden Wilde of New Zealand in brutal conditions in Paris.
The race was originally due to be held on Tuesday but was postponed due to poor water quality in the River Seine and, after the swim and bike leg, a huge group of 32 hit transition to the run together.
Yee and Wilde immediately forged clear but the New Zealander, bronze medallist in Tokyo, surprisingly made an early move with Yee, widely regarded as the fastest runner in the field and silver medallist three years ago, declining to respond.
It looked to be Wilde’s race but the hard pace and heat sapped his energy and Yee, who won gold in the mixed relay in Tokyo, flew past with 400 metres to go and finished clear.
Leo Bergere of France took the bronze on a good day for the host nation after France’s Cassandre Beaugrand won the women’s race.
(Reporting by Mitch Phillips; Editing by Clare Fallon)
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