Alex Yee crowned Arena Games eSport Triathlon World Champion
Alex Yee was crowned Arena Games eSport Triathlon World Champion at the Grand Final in Singapore.
It was a four-horse race in the men’s Grand Final for the outright Championship title but who would get crowned the first ever mens eSport World Champion was anyone’s guess.
Aurelien Raphael (FRA), winner in Munich and Justus Nieschalag (GER) winner in London were considered the men to beat. But in contention were Alex Yee (GB) and Max Stapley (AUS) who knew they were both one win away from the title having got second places in London and Munich respectively.
It was Raphael who was so impressive in winning in Munich who set the fastest time in the men’s heats. But the surprise package was Great Britain’s young starlet Daniel Dixon who made his way to the final through winning his repechage race.
With both the 2022 World Championship crown and the Singapore Arena Games titles up for grabs and having world class field of 10 athletes in the final that included Belgian Marten Van Riel and Kiwi Hayden Wilde even a top placing could well be enough for any of the four top contenders.
And it was the Kiwi Hayden Wilde who put in a unstoppable swim, bike and run performance over the three mini triathlon that would take the Singapore Arena Games title with Yee holding off a chasing Nieschlag to take the 2022 world title.
For Frenchman Aurelien Raphael having had technical issues in London hampering his title chance, today’s race was another calamitous affair losing his 8 second swim advantage in first stage by running the wrong way in transition.
Daniel Dixon (GB) will be thrilled to have taken 4th place in his debut Arena Games. Coming through the repechage to make the finals in the searing heat and humidity of Singapore is a tall order in itself but to then put in a phenomenal performance in the final is quite another.
So, its congratulations to Alex Yee for adding another major title to his triathlon honours in becoming the first-ever men’s eSports Triathlon World Champion.
