Thu. Nov 21st, 2024
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TEAM GB were denied a silver medal following the triathlon mixed relay this morning.

Alex Yee, Georgia Taylor-Brown, Sam Dickinson and Beth Potter took it down to the wire but were pipped to the finish line by Germany.

Alex Yee got GB off to a flying start

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Alex Yee got GB off to a flying startCredit: Getty
Team GB were denied a silver medal

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Team GB were denied a silver medalCredit: EPA
It went down to a photo finish

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It went down to a photo finishCredit: BBC Sport

The remaining two medals were then determined by an incredibly tight photo finish.

Great Britain were initially awarded silver, but were downgraded to bronze following a post-race review.

Men’s gold medallist Yee kicked off the race for Great Britain, building up a strong 16-second lead by the end of the first leg.

Taylor-Brown then took over and maintained the lead until the last stretch of the 1.8km run, when Germany’s Lisa Tertsch edged in front.

With just one second separating GB and Germany, Dickinson and Lasse Luehrs were neck and neck throughout the third leg.

But the Brit dug deep to pick up a five-second advantage by the final changeover.

Potter, who won a bronze medal in the women’s individual triathlon last week, then took the reigns for the last section.

She couldn’t quite keep the pace in the cycle, dropping to third behind Taylor Knibb and Laura Lindemann.

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But a speedy transition put her back in front to set up a thrilling finale.

Lindemann crossed the finish line first, but it went down to a photo finish between Potter and Knibb.

Team GB star Alex Yee wins triathlon medal in Paris Olympics

Following a nervy wait, Team GB were handed the silver – only to then be downgraded.

The mixed relay training session was cancelled at the last minute on Sunday due to concerns surrounding the safety of the River Seine.

Organisers admitted heavy rain affected the river’s water quality, making it far too unsafe to swim in.

Belgium were forced to pull out of the main event after one athlete was hospitalised with an E. coli infection.

Claire Michel took part in the women’s triathlon last Wednesday and fell ill the following day.

Reports claim Adrien Briffod of Switzerland also fell seriously ill following the men’s event.

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