Search
shop

Triathlon superstar Hayden Wilde reveals his tough road to the top and the day job he did first

The Kiwi, who won silver at the Paris Olympics, used to work six-hour shifts when he first started out in the sport
Last updated -
STRENGTH. ENDURANCE. PERFORMANCE.

Hayden Wilde is again on top of the triathlon world after his brillaint win at WTCS Abu Dhabi earlier this month. But things haven’t always been so easy for the charismatic Kiwi.

The Olympic silver medallist has started the 2025 World Triathlon Championship Series with a bang and is currently the world’s number one male triathlete.

But Wilde has revealed how his path to the top meant putting in some gruelling hours working a part-time job when he first started out in the sport.

Advertisement

“I’d get up at 5am” – Hayden Wilde

He told Woman’s Day: “I had a part-time job as a landscaper to pay for training. That meant that for three years, I’d get up at 5am, go swimming with the squad, run home for breakfast, work for about six hours, then come home and do more training.

“Once I didn’t have to be on my feet all day at work, my results started getting a lot better! Learning landscaping was great as it helped me understand what life is like outside sport, which is something a lot of athletes struggle with. But right now, I’m pretty happy. I think I’m pretty lucky, really.”

Hayden Wilde wins WTCS Abu Dhabi 2025 photo credit World Triathlon
Hayden Wilde wins WTCS Abu Dhabi 2025 [Photo credit: World Triathlon]

Wilde became a professional triathlete at 19 and went on to win bronze in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics – New Zealand’s first triathlon medal in 13 years. He also took home a gold – of sorts – in Paris last year. As well as that silver for almost denying Alex Yee the ultimate title glory.

The turning point for Wilde

But Hayden’s success story was only possible after a “sliding doors” moment as a youngster, when he was more into playing rugby, football, cricket and hockey with his older brothers.

At the time, he says: “Running, biking and cycling wasn’t really in the mix.”

Then, at secondary school in Whakatāne, Wilde took up an outdoor education class which introduced him to orienteering, adventure racing and multisports, including long-distance running.

He said: “My teacher, who was also my friend’s mum, told me I raced well and was pretty fast. She asked if I’d consider competing.

“I thought, ‘Why not?’ So I did a duathlon – a bike ride and a run, which went pretty well. Then it just grew from there.”

Paul Brown
Written by
Paul Brown
Discover more
Challenge The Championship Marjolaine Pieree
How to qualify for Challenge The Championship – and why it should be on your triathlon bucket list
Cadomotus aero triathlon cycling shoes
Can your triathlon cycling shoes make you faster? How shoe choice could speed up your triathlon finish times
French Riviera T100 bike course Esterel
Is this the ultimate middle distance triathlon bike course? We rode the French Riviera T100 bike course and it’s EPIC
Ironman gear guide – everything you need to get to the finish line of a full distance triathlon
Challenge St. Pölten 2024 - image credit Jose Luis Hourcade / Challenge Family
Expert swim coach on the three most common swim mistakes age group triathletes make (and how to fix them!)
latest News
Sam Long St George 2024 photo credit Getty Images for IRONMAN
‘No No No’ – Sam Long says he felt ROBBED by swim cancellation at ‘69.1 Chattanooga’
IRONMAN World Championship 2024 Nice Age Group Swim Start
IRONMAN to review World Championship slot allocation model after fears raised for Age Group women
Jonny Brownlee / Jonathan Brownlee - Super League Triathlon London 2023
Did the Brownlee brothers nearly join pro cycling’s Team Sky after 2012 Olympic heroics?
Kristian Hogenhaug interviewed after The Championship 2025
Danish triathlon star highlights blistering bike split as key to The Championship success.
Alistair Brownlee - T100 San Francisco 2024 bike
Olympic triathlon legend Alistair Brownlee completes iconic Gralloch race in latest gravel test
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...