The eagerly-anticipated first showdown of the season between short course racing’s ‘big four’ men won’t now happen at WTCS London.

That’s because Olympic silver medallist Hayden Wilde has ruled himself out of a battle against Alex Yee, the man who beat him to Olympic gold in Paris, reigning WTCS champion Matt Hauser and the current series leader in Vasco Vilaca.

It’s a real shame for Wilde and the race itself, which returns to London for the first time in 11 years and will be free to watch in the UK on the BBC.

Highs and lows

Explaining his absence, Kiwi star Wilde wrote on Instagram: “Unfortunately, I’ve decided to pull out for London WTCS.

“With MRI results on my lungs, it has come back with some inflammation around the lungs which probably explains my inconsistencies in training some days have been really good and some days just pure average which isn’t like me.

“For now, it’s time to rest and prepare for my September block.

“Gutted not to race in London as the track record in this city is pretty decent.

“I feel personally it’s disrespectful to my competitors to think I can turn up not 100% and have a good result.

“Hasn’t been a midseason I was looking for. Frustrating not to show my form but gotta roll with the highs and slow of this sport always sitting on the fine line of performance.”

Lots to play for

The reigning T100 champion started the season in trademark form with victory at T100 Singapore but illness meant he was ‘only’ third at T100 San Francisco and he admitted he still wasn’t himself when never in contention at WTCS Hamburg earlier this month.

He had already ruled himself out of a tilt at the WTCS title this year but he has every chance of retaining his T100 crown as well as making a bold bid for the 70.3 world title.