It was one of the most dramatic moments of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
“I’ve listened to the commentary which said ‘he was fooling us all along’ – I promise you I wasn’t!” Olympic triathlon champion Alex Yee tells BBC Sport.
With time running out for the 26-year-old on the banks of the River Seine as rival Hayden Wilde closed in on gold with each passing metre, Yee summoned one final bid to bridge a seemingly insurmountable gap in pursuit of the ultimate prize.
“I didn’t know I was going to catch him, if I’m honest,” says Yee.
“I knew there was a small chance and it was getting smaller, but I just wanted to give 100% effort to try and make it happen. It was a pretty magical moment and something I’ll probably look back on forever and smile.”
Less than 12 weeks on, the Briton will this weekend attempt to add a first world title to his Olympic gold when the World Triathlon Championship Finals take place in Andalusia, Spain, live on the BBC.
For a third successive year Yee leads the overall standings before the final race, but the title – decided on a season-long points basis – has so far remained out of reach for the most successful Olympic triathlete in history.
“Because it has been something which has eluded me it would make it so much more special if it does happen,” says Yee.
“I guess things which don’t come easy to you are things which are really special. This definitely hasn’t.
“I’ve fallen by the wayside a few times and failed. That’s OK. But if I can achieve it, it would be really special and complete an amazing year.”