Trois triathlon events at the 2024 Paris Olympics, trois victorious countries: France's Cassandre Beaugrand won the women's triathlon, Great Britain's Alex Yee broke the tape in the men's triathlon (both on July 31) — and Laura Lindemann grabbed gold for Germany in the mixed team relay event (Aug. 5).
Canceled training sessions, a delayed men's individual race, and questions about the River Seine's water quality couldn't prevent the world's most elite triathletes from swimming, cycling, and running through arguably the most scenic ("Seine"-ic?) course these Games.
| Country | Gold- Silver- Bronze |
Total |
|---|---|---|
| Great Britain | 1 - 0 - 2 | 3 |
| France | 1 - 0 - 1 | 2 |
| Germany | 1- 0 - 0 | 1 |
|
New Zealand Switzerland United States |
0 - 0 - 1 | 1 |
Crash course
Turned out, the biggest obstacle the women's field faced was Parisian cobblestone.
After the men's race was postponed by a day, the women's race became the first triathlon event contested at 8 a.m. local time on July 31. The rain-drenched streets that comprised the cycling course had yet to dry, causing more than a half-dozen athletes to crash out of the race.
Beaugrand earns tri gold for her home country in women's individual
Rain could not prevent Cassandre Beaugrand from winning triathlon gold in her home country. She started in the Seine, cycled past the Champs-Élysées, then ran across the Pont Alexandre III to break the tape in 1:54:55 — the Eiffel Tower not far behind.
Neither was compatriot Emma Lombardi, who missed the podium but finished fourth.
WOMEN'S INDIVIDUAL TRIATHLON RESULTS
WOMEN'S INDIVIDUAL TRIATHLON FULL EVENT REPLAY
Alex Yee surges to victory in a Brownlee-less men's individual field
Immediately after the women's individual race, the men's individual triathlon started.
Well, not immediately. In fact, a few of the men got off to a false start.
In a "Wilde" men's triathlon finish, Great Britain's Alex Yee surged past New Zealand's seemingly untouchable Hayden Wilde during the last 400 meters of the run.
The boost also provided a medal upgrade for Yee: from Tokyo 2020 silver medalist to Paris 2024 gold medalist. With three Olympic triathlon medals to his name — Yee earned his second, and first gold, via a Great Britain mixed relay team win at Tokyo 2020 — Yee now ties compatriot and former teammate Jonny Brownlee for most triathlon medals in Games history.
The race gave France even more reason to celebrate following Beaugrand's victory earlier in the day: Leo Bergere finished ten seconds behind the leader, earning a bronze — his country's first men's triathlon medal.
MEN'S INDIVIDUAL TRIATHLON RESULTS
MEN'S INDIVIDUAL TRIATHLON FULL EVENT REPLAY
Mixed Team Relay
Nearly a week after the first two races concluded, national teams comprised of four triathletes gathered to compete in the mixed team relay event. The French were favored to win, given that all four team members had finished within the top ten of their individual races.
But it didn't take the cycling course long to take down Pierre Le Corre.
In a last-minute surge reminiscent of Yee's come-from-behind victory in the men's race, Laura Lindemann broke ahead of Great Britain's Beth Potter on the homestretch to thrust Germany atop the podium.
In a chaotic finale, Team USA's Taylor Knibb — one of many to wipe out on Paris' slippery cobblestone cycling course during the women's individual race on July 31 — seized the momentum and brushed past Potter to claim silver for the States in a photo finish.
Great Britain was initially awarded silver but ended up with bronze after officials reviewed finish-line footage.
MIXED TEAM RELAY TRIATHLON FULL RESULTS
MIXED TEAM RELAY TRIATHLON FULL EVENT REPLAY