A blistering running display helped Britain's Alex Yee win the men's race at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games triathlon test event ©World Triathlon

Hayden Wilde of New Zealand, who headed into the race as number one, pulled up injured as Britain’s Alex Yee won the men’s triathlon Olympic Games Test Event for Paris 2024.

Wilde, who won men’s individual bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, sustained a hip injury after coming off his bike the previous day, but was determined to take the start line for the test event.

However, once the race got to the run phase this proved too painful, forcing him to withdraw.

Instead it was left to Tokyo 2020 men’s individual silver medallist Yee to take victory, as he took control of the race on the run, and completed the final three laps in splendid isolation as he won in 1hour 41min 02sec.

The silver medal went to Portugal’s Vasco Vilaca, who outsprinted France’s Dorian Coninx on the blue carpet as both athletes finished the race with identical times of 1:41.15.

French triathletes Pierre Le Corre and Léo Bergère finished fourth and fifth respectively, capping off a good day on a home course for French competitors.

Sixth place went to Morgan Pearson of the United States, with seventh to Tim Hellwig of Germany, who both secured Paris 2024 spots.

The field for the men's race prepare to dive into the River Seine at the start of the Paris 2024 triathlon test event ©World Triathlon
The field for the men's race prepare to dive into the River Seine at the start of the Paris 2024 triathlon test event ©World Triathlon

The course featured a 1500 metres swim in the River Seine, 40 kilometres bike ride and 10km run that concluded at Pont Alexandre III.

World Triathlon confirmed that the water quality in the Seine met requirements for it to be raced in safely, and that measurements were being taken twice a day during the test event.

Earlier this month, an Open Water Swimming World Cup, which was also due to act as a Paris 2024 Test Event was cancelled due to the poor water quality in the river.

Reflecting on the opening two days of the Paris 2024 triathlon test event, World Triathlon President Marisol Casado said: "We could not have dreamt of a better scenario and venue than the one we have here in Paris. 

"For our athletes to be able to swim in the Seine river, to ride on the Champs-Élysées, see the Arc de Triomphe, Les Invalides, the Pont Alexandre III. 

"We always dream of being in the heart of the city, and the venue in Paris is just a dream come true. 

"And to see so many spectators out on the streets makes us even more sure that, for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris next year, this will be an extraordinary event."

Tomorrow the World Triathlon Para Cup in Paris takes centre stage, acting as a test event for the Paris 2024 Paralympics, with racing scheduled across six classes.