Alex Yee completed a golden double at the Commonwealth Games - but ended up in the doghouse after beating his girlfriend to the win.
Two days after becoming men’s triathlon champion, Yee led England’s mixed team to a commanding victory in Sutton Park. With Dave Ellis and Katie Crowhurst taking gold medals in the two paratriathlons, it meant a clean sweep for the host nation.
But before Yee could even get the medal round his neck, girlfriend Olivia Mathias was claiming he had gone back on a commitment to get a dog for their new house. “I’m pretty sure we had a deal that if Wales got a medal we could get a puppy,” said fellow triathlete Mathias, who helped the Welsh to a surprise silver medal. “But he’s backtracking!”
Londoner Yee, 24, was having none of it when told what his partner of six years had said. “No, that's wrong,” he spluttered. “It's not right. I didn't shake on that. I haven't backtracked.”
The Olympic silver medallist had always had the last word over two days of racing, but not now. “I was there,” said team mate Sophie Coldwell, laughing. “I think it happened.”
Yee finally conceded that “maybe after Paris” he might back down and agree to the Labrador his Lincoln-born girlfriend has her heart set on. By then the king of the Commonwealth may well also be Olympic champion, but that is for another day. This occasion, played out before huge crowds, was enough to be going on with.
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“Running down the hill was a bit like the Tour de France, everyone on the sides, helicopter above you,” said Yee, who gave England a 20-second lead on his opening leg. “It was really cool.”
Coldwell extended the margin, Sam Dickinson protected it and Georgia Taylor-Brown sealed the deal with 46 seconds to spare.
Earlier the men’s para triathlon brought golden consolation to Ellis, 36, for missing out in Tokyo after a broken bike chain cost him a medal.
His misfortune continued when he tripped over an extendable dog lead in January and broke both his arms. But there were no slip-ups here where he and guide Luke Pollard led from start to finish to win in 57.39 mins.
“I'm so happy we were able to do what we needed to do,” he said. “I didn't want to go through the feeling we had in Tokyo ever again.”
Teen star Crowhurst, guided by Jessica Fullager, also won by more than four minutes - describing it as a “pinch me” moment. “I didn't have any expectations,” said the 18-year old. “I’m waiting for my A level results.”
