Hayden Wilde in the bike leg at the ITU World Triathlon Elite men sprint distance race in Germany last month. Photo / Getty Images
Triathlete Hayden Wilde has pulled off the race of his life to win bronze in the men's Tokyo 2020 Triathlon Test Event.
The Tauranga-based 21-year-old secured a podium finish in a field stacked with the world's best triathletes, including two-time Olympic medallist Jonathan Brownlee.
"I always love to race with
a bit of passion so I came into the finish line pretty excited. To do that on the Olympic course is huge, to execute that race plan, I'm absolutely fizzing about it," Wilde said.
Wilde, who was raised in Whakatāne, was roughly a minute behind race leaders following the swim but the young athlete ground out an impressive bike leg to sit in the front pack of three.
It was a lead that wouldn't be relinquished with Wilde crossing the line in third, in a time of 1:50:03.
