Big comeback for Wilde with London win
- Dave Worsley
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 16 hours ago
Only three months months after being hit by a truck on a training ride in Japan, an emotional Hayden Wilde has returned to victory in London
The 27-year-old could not hold back tears after crossing the line first in the London T100 triathlon after a 2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run.
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He reflected on the low point of a hospital bed in Japan, where he began the recovery from four broken ribs, a broken scapula and a punctured lung after being knocked off his bike by a truck.
He was forced to remain in Japan for several weeks in May as he was unable to fly due to the lung damage.
The Olympic silver medallist Wilde admitted he was unsure if he would ever return to his best.
"If you have a big injury, you're off for three months more or less and you have negative thoughts like can I actually get back to that level?" he told the race broadcaster.
"It's easy to do that bike session solo, to do that run session solo, but to put them together is completely different.
"It's been a big three months."
Wilde was at his tactical best in London, emerging from the swim less than a minute off the lead.
He stayed firmly on the pace in the bike leg and was too strong for the field in the run, overhauling German leader Rico Bogen with more than 10km to run.
Wilde wasn't challenged from that point, winning by more than a minute from another German, Mika Noodt - with Greek athlete Jelle Geens third.