Triathlon’s wild ride in Tokyo: A false start, a broken nose, and an unbelievable finish

A false start, a suspected broken nose for Australia’s top ranked triathlete, and incredible scenes at the finish made the Tokyo 2020 men’s triathlon one to remember.

Norway’s Kristian Blummenfelt, ranked number two in the world, kept checking over his shoulder as he ran the final 100 metres not quite believing there was nobody to catch him.

He grabbed the finish tape, wrapped around his shoulders and rolled around the ground in shock.

“Coming here … seeing the finish line … touching the finish tape … to be able to put it together on the day is something that I am really proud of.”

Although it made little difference to the final placings, a false start marred the beginning of the race when the start gun fired despite a media boat sailing in front of the pontoon and blocking part of the course.

All three Australians in the race were caught out by it, top ranked Jake Birtwhistle suffering most.

“It was a foot, it might have even been in the false start so it was all for nothing.”

Birtwhistle remained in contention through the early stages but was disappointed to finish in 16th place.

“I was in the right position the whole way through the bike and up the front starting the run, but I simply just didn’t have it,” he said.

“That’s it, that’s the reality. It’s disappointing. I don’t really have that much more to say.

Fellow Australian Matt Hauser, who finished in 24th place, said he had a great start in the swim before being called back for the false start, after which he got sandwiched in the pack.

“It was a bit like a Japanese subway out there … it was just hustle and bustle, fists and legs everywhere, you’re getting kicked in the face but that’s the Olympics, I guess. This is my first experience,” he said.

He fell back through the field in the bike leg and began cramping in the run.

“I tried to conserve a little bit on the first couple of laps and my right hammy started to cramp up so I decided just to bring it back a little bit cause I know I might have an important job to do in the relay come Saturday so, yeah, overall proud but left wanting more.”

The third Australian competing today, Aaron Royle (26th), said the false start surprised him.

“I think for all of us that’s the first time that’s ever happened, I just had to laugh to myself swimming back to the pontoon thinking that for all the races for that to happen in it had to be the Olympics.

“They said you’re in the starter’s hands and I saw the boat was still there and I’m thinking to myself ‘well, they’re not going to start the race the boat’s literally there’ and next minute I guess there was miscommunication between the starter and whoever was down at the pontoon and they started the gun.

“I knew I wasn’t in a spot that I’d like to be in in the swim; it was a little bit chaotic. And it just never really lined out. People were on top of each other so I had to settle for where I was, I got onto the bike and to be honest I wasn’t feeling great.

“We had a plan to try and have a good race as a team, and to be honest, I wish I could have done more but I did the best I could.

“I was able to contribute a few times to try and get our group up to that lead group, but once we were there it was almost survival mode and then come the run, that’s all I had. It’s all I had. It obviously wasn’t enough for today.”

The minor placings went to Great Britain’s Alex Yee and New Zealand’s Hayden Wilde.

The women’s triathlon will be raced tomorrow (July 27) with the first ever mixed event on Saturday (July 31).