‘They almost killed each other’ – Léo Bergere on just how close he came to Olympic gold in Paris

It ranks as one of triathlon’s greatest-ever finishes and nearly all the focus has been on Alex Yee and Hayden Wilde after they took the gold and silver respectively in that epic showdown at the Paris Olympics.

But it shouldn’t be forgotten that French favourite Léo Bergere also came within a whisker of adding even more drama by overhauling the pair of them.

And he’s been speaking in fascinating detail about what unfolded in front of him in the French capital at the end of July in the latest supertri ‘Face to Face’ video, which is embedded below.

Perfectly paced

Starting the run all the main contenders were part of a big front pack and Bergere, with 12 months of hard work on his run behind him, was confident he could fight for a medal.

Taking up the story he explained how things panned out: “I knew Alex and Hayden were going to start full gas and fight against each other so I didn’t feel I was able to follow them in the first few kilometres and just did my own pace on the run.

“But with one [2.5km] lap to go there was Vasco [Vilaca] coming very strongly behind me and a few others so I decided to go from there.

“Then I started to catch Alex and was only maybe six seconds behind him so I started to think not only about the bronze – my big motivation was on Alex.”

‘Crazy moment’

More drama was to follow and suddenly all three medals, which had looked done as dusted not long before when Wilde was out on his own, were up for grabs.

Bergere continued: “And then we (almost) caught Hayden so that was a crazy moment because I started to see him on the front and I didn’t know whether he was enjoying his moment with the crowd and already celebrating the victory.

And then I realised he was very much in trouble and really suffering.

“I was thinking about the victory. They were so close in front and I tried my best to catch them until the end. I think they just killed each other trying to fight for the victory, and I nearly could have played my card with them, but, unfortunately for me, it wasn’t quite enough.”

Special moment

Yee surged past Wilde for a famous victory and only in the last 100 metres did Bergere settle for a super bronze.

He added: “On the last corner Hayden was still at least five seconds ahead of me and there was only 80 metres or so to go which I knew wasn’t enough and that it was done.”

What followed next was something the Frenchman will never forget: “All my family and friends were in this corner so I just let all the emotions out of me. I usually keep everything inside, but in this unique moment, I exploded everything out of me. I will remember that moment for ever. To be able to share it was even more special.”

And all the more special because his partner Angie Olmo was there too.

She’s also a top-level triathlete but has been battling Lyme’s Disease for much of the last two years and Leo speaks in detail about that towards the end of the video, underlining just what an inspiration and incredible support she has been while her own career has been put on hold.

“She’s my number one motivation. I’m not just racing for myself but for two of us.

“It [the mental stress of what they have both gone through] could have been a weight holding me back but in the end it’s more like I’ve got twice the energy.”