Search
shop

‘Dreams really come true’ – Alex Yee on Olympic silver

Alex Yee said "dreams really come true" after claiming a superb silver medal for Great Britain in the Olympic men's triathlon at Tokyo 2020.
Editor-In-Chief
Last updated -
STRENGTH. ENDURANCE. PERFORMANCE.

Alex Yee said “dreams really come true” after claiming a fairytale Olympic silver medal for Great Britain in the men’s triathlon at Tokyo 2020 early on Monday.

The 23-year-old Londoner was prominent throughout, looking comfortable and assured in the biggest test of his career to date. He was unable to match the finishing kick of Norway’s Kristian Blummenfelt, but was able to hold off New Zealand’s Hayden Wilde to grab that silver.

Advertisement

Alex Yee has silver lining

Afterwards he told BBC Sport: “Bit bizarre really, it’s me that’s doing this, I’m just a normal guy from south east London. It’s just crazy that dreams really come true. It’s just amazing.”

Yee coped admirably with the brutal conditions, and felt he was just beaten by the better man on the day.

“It’s been a tough preparation phase for this Games. In training I think I went much harder than I did in that race. Unfortunately he (Blummenfelt) was the better man on the day but I felt as prepared as I could have been. To come away with second was the best result I could have got on the day.”

Yee had catapulted into the public eye since that eye-catching victory in Leeds last month, and he was thankful for the support he had received in the run-up to the Games.

“My mum always says it takes a village to build a person, and I think it’s taken the whole of GB today, so I’m just over the moon. Thank you so much.

Alex Yee celebrates silver during the Olympic Games triathlon medal ceremony.

“I was already deep in the well (when Blummenfelt made that decisive kick). I just had to dig that little bit into my soul. I found a litlte something, It wasn’t enough to catch Blumi, but it was enough to get silver and I’m over the moon with that.”

Paris next for young gun Alex

The fact COVD-19 delayed the Tokyo Games to 2021 fell perfectly for Yee, as he arrived in the big time at the ideal moment. Now he has just three years to wait for another glory bid in Paris.

“In a way I was really lucky with the circumstances of COVID delaying the Games a year,” he admitted.

“It’s obviously an awful situation for everyone but I was really fortunate. I’m really excited for Paris now, it’s gonna be a bit more of a normal time so hopefully more people can watch it. It should be a spectacle.”

Alex Yee Tokyo 2020
Yes Alex, you really did win an Olympic silver medal
Graham Shaw
Written by
Graham Shaw
Graham has been involved with TRI247 & RUN247 since the summer of 2021. Since then he has provided strategic direction for all news and is passionate about the growth of triathlon as a fan sport.
Discover more
Dave Ellis / Luke Pollard - World Para Triathlon Championships Pontevedra 2023
Golden opportunity – British Triathlon launches search for LA2028 paratriathlon guides
IRONMAN Lanzarote 2024 - Anne Haug on run course
Best marathon shoes for Ironman – the ‘legal’ super shoes you CAN wear to level up your run split
Challenge Sanremo 2024 - Photo: Jose Luis Hourcade
How to fuel your triathlon training: Expert nutritionist tips to help you nail every session
swim start IRONMAN World Championship Kona 2024 photo credit Tony Svensson IRONMAN
Level up your Ironman swim split – must-read tips from an expert swim coach
Ironman gear guide – everything you need to get to the finish line of a full distance triathlon
latest News
Taylor Knibb 2024 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship Taupo New Zealand
US triathlon phenom Taylor Knibb hails great rival Kat Matthews for record-breaking IRONMAN Texas win
Richard Varga Jonny Brownlee Arzachena
Triathlon legend Jonny Brownlee reveals ‘Last Dance’ motivation behind latest challenge
IRONMAN Kona 2022 Age Group Results
How will “re-imagined” IRONMAN World Championship at Kona actually look for Age Groupers?
Lucy Charles-Barclay IRONMAN World Championship Kona 2023 Finish
IRONMAN World Championship goes ALL IN on Kona again with men and women to race on same day from 2026
Laura Philipp and Kat Matthews on the run at the 2024 IRONMAN World Championship
Nice gets consolation prize of 70.3 Worlds after IRONMAN World Championships return to Kona
triathlon on your terms
Never miss out with our triathlon alerts & digest. Get a dose of adventure & inspiration with Boundless.
The 247 Group

The home of endurance sports

Share to...