NZ so close to medal in mixed triathlon

New Zealand went agonisingly close to snatching a medal in the mixed triathlon, but eventually had to settle for fourth – so close, but so far.

The New Zealand team of Hayden Wilde, Nicole van der Kaay, Tayler Reid and Andrea Hansen finished in 1h 17min 37s, just eight seconds behind bronze medallists Australia. England took the gold in a time of 1h 16min 40s.

The concept of a mixed triathlon has proved extremely popular and New Zealand won a bronze medal in the event at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Each athlete swims 300m, cycles 5km and runs 2km. 

Wilde, who went excruciatingly close to winning an individual triathlon gold medal two days earlier, got New Zealand away to a great start. Van der Kaay and Reid kept the pressure on. 

By the time Hansen took over, the powerful England team looked to have locked up the gold, but Hansen was left jostling with the Australians and Welsh for the minor medals.

“I did everything I could on the last leg,” she said. “It was brutal and I came up just short.”

Reid described fourth placing as “heartbreaking”, but said there was no doubt everyone in the team gave it everything they had.