Triathlon: Short time out for Tauranga's Hayden Wilde after busy few weeks in Singapore, Australia and Abu Dhabi

Tauranga-based triathlete Hayden Wilde is ready for a break after a busy few weeks in action. Photo / File

After a hectic few weeks, Tauranga-based triathlete Hayden Wilde is looking forward to some time out and a much-needed break.

Since February 24, the 21-year-old has competed in Singapore, Australia and the latest event in Abu Dhabi last Sunday.

It was in that Singapore race, the final of the Super League Triathlon, that Wilde suffered a concussion.

The next week he was racing again in Tasmania and on Sunday he anchored the New Zealand Mixed Relay Team which won bronze in the opening round of the World Triathlon Series in Abu Dhabi.

Wilde teamed up with Ainsley Thorpe, Sam Ward and Sophie Corbidge to reach the podium, behind Australia in first place and the United States in second.

Wilde ran the quickest time of the day, finishing in 19 minutes 32 seconds. In the individual event, Ward was sixth and Wilde finished 10th.

"As a team we thought we were capable if we put everything together," Wilde says.

"There were countries we needed to beat to get our ranking up. It gives the team confidence and gives High Performance Sport New Zealand confidence that we have a good team there."

It is also a great start to the team's bid to earn a place at next year's Olympic Games in Tokyo.

"We probably have five guys trying to get into two spots in the team and it is great to have that competition there. In the mixed team relay you have more pressure to perform because you are not just racing for yourself and you don't want to make mistakes."

Wilde's coach, Tauranga's Craig Kirkwood, says Wilde is in the right form.

"It is pretty significant that he posted quickest time, it shows he is going well," Kirkwood says.

"It is a long season, we have to be careful with the loading and balance the training between racing so he can last the season. We did a lot of work in the pre-season to give him a massive base."

Wilde's next event is the sprint-distance 2019 New Plymouth ITU Triathlon World Cup on March 31 but before then, he'll enjoy a short break.

Wilde will spend a week in Whakatāne visiting family and he says it is a good retreat after a busy start to the year.

"It is a good space, I am training by myself so I am on my own schedule."

Wilde is a full-time athlete, focusing on training and competing this year, which he believes he has to do to reach his goal of becoming an Olympian.

"In the world series, I will race individual and team events in seven of the eight events.

"The main goal is to get New Zealand a spot at the Olympics. This year we are all helping each other, then team will be selected."