Alex Yee [Source: Reuters]

British Olympic champion Alex Yee finished third after a barn-storming run in the men’s triathlon World Championship Finals in Torremolinos, Spain on Sunday to win his first world title.

Yee, who won gold at this year’s Paris Games, crossed the line in 01:43:50, over a minute behind the winner, Olympic silver medallist Hayden Wilde (01:42:22) of New Zealand.

Yee, who had three Olympic-distance wins heading into the race, needed a top-six finish to ensure the world title.

The 26-year-old was 21 seconds off the lead heading into the first transition and fell further behind in the early stages of the bike section as a breakaway group surged ahead, but he stuck with the chasing pack and kept within touching distance.