Mike Cavendish makes 'rare' photo finish claim after Team GB's triathlon relay heartbreak

Mike Cavendish has shed light on the unusual photo finish that led to Team GB's downgrade from silver to bronze in the triathlon mixed relay. The initial confusion unfolded on Monday morning when Alex Yee, Georgia Taylor-Brown, Sam Dickinson, and Beth Potter were initially awarded second place after a photo finish. The result was later revised, promoting the USA team to silver.

Cavendish clarified the rarity of such close finishes in triathlon, noting the lack of immediate technology for definitive decisions post-race . "When it's as close as that, you're always going to have to go to a photo finish, and it's relatively rare in triathlon that it goes to a photo finish. That's probably why it takes a little bit longer," he remarked.

Further explaining to the BBC, Cavendish said: "I think what's happened is that, when they've come across the line, we'll look at a video still which isn't the most accurate picture. Then it's gone to the official photo finish and it's shown the Americans have got it just by an absolute whisker ahead of us."

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He also reflected on the team's reaction and the race's impact: "They might be a little bit disappointed, but ultimately a bronze medal is an amazing achievement. To be completely frank, it was just an incredible advert for the sport to have such a brilliant finish and a brilliant race."

The fiercely fought relay came down to a matter of milliseconds, with Germany's Laura Lindemann, the USA's Taylor Knibb and Team GB's Potter all vying for the podium positions. Lindemann ultimately triumphed, with very little separating Knibb and Potter behind her.

By the time Team GB had suited up to collect their silvers, the result had been altered. The USA's appeal was successful, with further review of the finish determining that Knibb had crossed second.

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Yee, Taylor-Brown, Dickinson, and Potter were all smiles on the podium regardless. They'd led for much of the exhilarating race, which they'd entered as defending champions from Tokyo 2020.

Men's champion Yee recovered well after dropping his swimming cap and having to pause to pick it up before the cycling, while Taylor-Brown and Dickinson both handed over the lead. Women's bronze medallist Potter couldn't quite maintain the advantage.

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Team GB fans were left feeling aggrieved on Sunday too after a controversial moment in the women's skeet shooting final. Amber Rutter missed out on gold in a shoot-off with Chile's Francisca Crovetto Chadid after a target she hit was deemed a miss.

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