#Triathlon @1cmhayes has finished in 23rd in the Women's Triathlon Event at Odaiba Marine Park.☘️
— Team Ireland (@TeamIreland) July 27, 2021
Hayes battled superbly on the run, posting the 8th quickest split of the race.#TeamIreland #Tokyo2020 @tri_ireland pic.twitter.com/vVHUF4eL0u
IRELAND’S CAROLYN HAYES, making her Olympic debut, has finished 23rd in the women’s triathlon at Tokyo 2020.
The Limerick star produced an excellent performance to finish the gruelling event in 2:02.10, six minutes and 34 seconds behind the history-making winner, Flora Duffy of Bermuda.
In really challenging wet conditions and ferocious humidity, 33-year-old Hayes really impressed, her 10km run at the end a particular highlight as she pulled up 10 places and finished really strong after a difficult swim:
Carolyn Hayes’ splits in full
“Mixed emotions,” as she summed it all up to RTÉ afterwards. “I made a hard job of it today, I made a wrong decision at the start of the swim. I just got through the bike, and started picking people off in the run, which was really encouraging.
“I’m absolute thrilled though. If you told me even two years ago I’d be on the start line of the triathlon at the Olympics, I wouldn’t believe you. It’s a dream come true.
“I can’t quite believe it. The Olympics is the pinnacle of all sport, so this really is a dream come true. I only ever wanted to be a doctor so to be an Olympian is a massive bonus.”
"I'm used to punches, I played water polo before, but out there, it's a totally different ball game..." - Carolyn Hayes reflects on finishing 23rd in the triathlon in Tokyo. #RTEsport pic.twitter.com/EPJs3fFe5p
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) July 27, 2021
Hayes, who put her career as a doctor on hold to pursue her Olympic dream and train full-time, was ranked 29th coming into this one. A late-comer to the scene, she first took up triathlon at the age of 25 in her second year of medical school, and her rise to the top since has been meteoric.
The Newcastlewest native, who trains out of Limerick Triathlon Club and is coached by Eanna McGrath, should be incredibly proud of her showing.
The story behind winner Duffy is a brilliant one, as she landed Bermuda’s first-ever Olympic gold medal — and just second overall — after a simply phenomenal performance.
The 33-year-old, who finished eighth at Rio 2016, was part of a group of seven who broke clear at the start of the 40km bike leg, but her 10km run was also her strongest performance, seeing her to glory in an overall time of 1:55.36.
Great Britain’s Georgia Taylor-Brown took the silver medal, while Katie Zaferes of the United States landed bronze.
