Birmingham, 29 July 2022 (TDI): Australian athlete, Matthew Hauser won the first medal for Australia at Commonwealth Games 2022. He won bronze at the men’s triathlon event.
The 24-year-old Queenslander narrowly missed the New Zealander, Hayden Wilde at the finish line. England’s Alex Yee won the gold medal. The top-ranked in the world, Wilde, was given a 10-second time penalty just before the finish line.
He racked his bike in the cycle-run transition while still wearing his helmet which caused him a penalty and eventually costed a gold medal. However, he had enough time on hand to defeat Hauser.
@Matt_Hauser takes bronze 🥉 and first Aussie medal of the games 🔥🔥🔥 🇦🇺 🇦🇺👏👏 @CommGamesAUS
📷 Delly Carr pic.twitter.com/lpUxR2CfYH— Triathlon Australia (@TriAustralia) July 29, 2022
Statement by Hauser
Hauser said that it was a great honor for him to start the Australian campaign in Commonwealth Games with a medal. He hoped that the Australian squad will keep going like this to win more medals.
Hauser mentioned that his coach yelled at him that “Hayden has got a penalty”. He was also able to see him waiting in the penalty area. Hauser tried his best but was unable to catch Hayden.
Hauser said, “I was hoping for him to do a bit more of a celebration towards the end and me sneak through to second, but it’s good to across third nonetheless.”
In 50 minutes and 34 seconds, Yee completed the 750-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike ride, and 5-kilometer run at Sutton Park, north of Birmingham.
Wilde was 13 seconds off the pace and Hauser was a further three seconds back. Also, the Australian Gold Coast silver medalist, Jake Birtwhistle was fourth, 32 seconds behind Yee.
This is the second medal for Matthew Hauser in his career in the Commonwealth Games. He also won the gold as a part of the mixed triathlon relay team in the Gold Coast Games and finished fourth in the individual race.
In the women’s triathlon, which will take place on the same route, Natalie Van Coevorden, Sophie Linn, and Charlotte McShane of Australia will compete.
