Why did Hayden Wilde get a time penalty in the men’s triathlon? Here’s what happened during the dramatic event in at the Commonwealth Games.
Alex Yee has taken gold for England in the Men’s Triathlon at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, the first for Team GB.
The 24-year-old Olympic silver medallist finished with a storming 5km run, making up eleven seconds on New Zealand’s Hayden Wilde who led for much of the race.
However, during the race, Hayden Wilde got hit with a time penalty, and fans wanted to know why.
Why did Hayden Wilde get a time penalty in the men’s triathlon?
Hayden Wilde claimed silver in the men’s triathlon but it was a bittersweet finish. During the run section of the triathlon he was hit with a 10 second time penalty that essentially sealed victory for Yee.
But why did Hayden Wilde get a time penalty in the men’s triathlon? He suffered a ten second penalty for his transition off the bike.
Specifically, he reportedly unclipped his helmet before parking his bike, which is not allowed.
It was unfortunate, and many felt as though it was a harsh penalty. However, Wilde showed his class by applauding Alex as he passed him:
Fans think Hayden was ‘robbed’ by harsh penalty
Fans were divided after the event finished. Many felt that Hayden Wilde had been ‘robbed’ of a gold medal with the harsh time penalty he received.
They have suggested he didn’t unclip the helmet prematurely at all, rather he just had his hand on the clip, which isn’t an offence.
According to 1NewsNZ reporter Guy Heveldt, ‘Hayden Wilde can appeal the penalty during the race but if it’s dismissed he’s a DNF.’ He added that Wilde would also be unable to appeal the decision afterwards.
Heveldt also uploaded a picture of Hayden after the race reportedly telling his team the decision was ‘b*******’
Did you think the decision was harsh? Let us know in the comments below!