Olympic Silver Medalist Conquers 30th Laguna Phuket Triathlon

Fresh off his silver medal performance at the Paris Olympics, New Zealand's Hayden Wilde added another triumph to his 2024 campaign by winning the 30th Laguna Phuket Triathlon. Wilde dominated the field with a time of 2:19:03, while Britain's Kate Waugh successfully defended her women's title.

The event drew over 1,000 athletes from 30+ countries to Thailand's largest island, where they tackled a unique course combining ocean and lagoon swimming with challenging hill climbs. Wilde's victory came in his first attempt at this distinctive race format, which features a 1.8km swim, 50km bike ride, and 12km run.

"This event has been on my bucket list for a long time," Wilde said after crossing the finish line. "The course's stunning scenery and challenging terrain were remarkable, even with the heat."

Fellow Kiwi Tayler Reid claimed second place in the men's division, finishing just over three minutes behind Wilde, while Ukraine's Rostyslav Pevtsov rounded out the podium. In the women's race, Waugh's winning time of 2:35:39 put her comfortably ahead of Switzerland's Alanis Siffest and British compatriot Sian Rainsley.

The local crowd had plenty to celebrate as 19-year-old Tanadon Witsarutsin captured his second straight title in the Thai national category, completing the course in 2:56:56.

The race began at dawn on Bang Tao Beach, with athletes swimming through both the Andaman Sea and a lagoon before transitioning to a bike course that showcased Phuket's tropical landscape. The event concluded at Laguna Grove, cementing its reputation as one of Asia's premier triathlon destinations.