Alistair broke away from younger brother Jonny halfway through the run and had a half minute lead coming to the finish chute where he took his time to bask in the applause of the spectators. At the finish, Alistair had a 7 seconds lead on his brother and 42 seconds on surprise bronze medalist Henri Schoeman of South Africa.

Schoeman had the race of his life to earn his South Africa’s first Olympic medal – an auspicious result as Schoeman had never previously made a World Triathlon Series podium.