New Zealand triathlete Hayden Wilde has lodged a protest after a 10-second time penalty cost him the chance of gold at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
New Zealand's Hayden Wilde after a 10 second penalty as England's Alex Yee wins the race. Photo: Photosport
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.
But he was penalised after unclipping his helmet before racking his bike at the final changeover, and had to stand down for 10 precious 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. Still only 24, Wilde has now won Olympic bronze and Commonwealth Games silver and is fast building an impressive career CV.
Wilde's teammates, Dylan McCullough and Tayler Reid, finished seventh and eighth respectively.
A disppointed Wilde said afterwards that he'd done everything he could, and didn't believe he should have been penalised.
"I don't think it was a penalty... I felt it was a little unfair.
"I came in like I always do holding my bike, I was holding my clip and I unclipped and as soon as my wheel was inside the belt, then I unclipped to use it as balance," he said.
"But that's racing at the end of the day."
Wilde had built up a useful lead over Yee, and said he would have liked to have been able to challenge him in the home straing.
"I heard my coach on the side saying you've got 16 - 20 seconds and just pace yourself then hit it on the second lap. I actually felt extremely good on the second lap and knew Alex was coming.
"That was the game plan to catch and attack him. It would have been really interesting at the end."