Royle and Bailie Finish Top Ten in Olympic Triathlon

NSWIS athletes Aaron Royle and Ryan Bailie have both registered top 10 results in the men’s triathlon in Rio.

It is the first time Australia has had two men finish in the top 10 since triathlon was admitted to the Olympic program at Sydney in 2000.

Royle finished ninth in his Olympic debut while Bailie was just behind him in tenth.

On a picturesque Copacabana course in 30 degree heat, the Australian duo put themselves well in the medal picture with strong swim legs.

Royle was the first Australian out of the water and although he maintained touch he couldn’t quite make up the ground needed in the run leg to the finish.

“I said if I finished the race knowing that I gave it everything, I’d have to be proud of that effort; look it would have been nice to have a bit better run legs today,” Royle told the AOC website.

“It was a max swim, max bike, max run – I’m absolutely spent now to be honest.”

“For me I feel that’s where it really started to hurt, the back end of the bike and the start of the run.”

“I’ve got a little bit of mixed emotions right now but at the end of the day I’m going to be proud with that effort.”

Bailie was hampered by an unfortunate moment at the first transition point which ultimately cost him valuable time.

“Coming out of the water my helmet was not left on my bike how I left it in transition so it had obviously been knocked off and my buckle was done up,” said a frustrated Bailie.

“It obviously cost me a few seconds that can make the difference, one of those critical moments that you look back on and think ‘what if.’

“Then eventually on the bike I didn’t have the legs to go with that first group.”

“It was a second critical moment and I got dropped from the front group and that’s pretty much the race up the road.”

“Tenth in my first Olympic Games; you’ve got to be pretty happy with that. Obviously you always want to win but I gave it my all on the day and I couldn’t have done anything else.”

Both young guns have already earmarked the Tokyo Games in 2020 for a shot at the medals.

“Two Australians inside the top 10, it’s promising signs. We are both only 26 and in this sport you can keep competing into your 30s, so we could go around again,” Royle said.

On the track, NSWIS athletes Eloise Wellings and Madeline Hills will compete in the final of the 5000m tomorrow morning (AEST).

They are part of a three-pronged Australian assault on the final – the first time Australia will be represented in the 5000m final.

Wellings qualified sixth fastest for the final. Hills was 13^th.

Anneliese Rubie and Jessica Thornton will run in the first round of the 4 x 400m relay.