Reid cops abuse for staying off the front at Commonwealth Games

In early lead: New Zealand's Tayler Reid (right) and England's Alistair Brownlee lead the way out of transition together at the start of the bike leg in the Commonwealth Games triathlon yesterday. Reid finished 11th. AP picture

GOLD COAST — One of New Zealand’s early success stories at the Commonwealth Games has revealed how he was abused by competitors mid-race over the strategy that almost saw him pull off a massive upset in the men’s triathlon.

Tayler Reid, 20, also says he was nearly run off the road for his strategy during the 20-kilometre cycling leg of the event on Day 1 on the Gold Coast.

Gisborne-born Reid was one of the early race leaders, finishing the swimming leg in second place. His decision to sit in the leading pack of five on the bicycle, saw him cop abuse from unnamed opponents.

“On the bike I just sat in,” he said.

“I took a whole lot of abuse for doing that. It’s not the way I usually race but I sucked it up, had some thick skin, and just went for it on the run.”

When pushed on the nature of the abuse, Reid said he “almost got ridden off the road once”.

“Verbal abuse. But it’s all part of it. I’ll just take it. Take it on the chin. It happens.”

He refused to reveal who was responsible for the abuse.

Reid eventually ran out of steam, finishing 11th, with teammate Ryan Sissons the best-placed Kiwi in fifth.

Despite the run-ins, Reid said he enjoyed his first Commonwealth Games experience.

“I loved it. I don’t want to race unless I’m in it. You might as well be in that top three or nowhere,” he said.

“I was hoping I could guts it out. I had some good patches but I had some really bad patches. I knew it would come at some point I was just hoping it would come later than it did.”

South African Henri Schoeman won gold in 52 minutes 31 seconds — 18 seconds ahead of Sissons and a minute and 17 seconds ahead of Reid.

In the women’s triathlon, gold medal hope Andrea Hewitt got swamped in the swim leg and finished 13th.

Taupo-based young gun Nicole van der Kaay was best of the female Kiwis in seventh, followed by Rebecca Spence in 10th.