Mountain-biker Alan Hatherly wins Olympic medal No 2 for South Africa

Mountain-biker Alan Hatherly has won South Africa’s second medal of the Paris Olympics, taking bronze in the cross-country event on Monday afternoon.

He finished behind British phenom Thomas Pidcock, who twice battled his way from behind to take the lead, and Frenchman Victor Koretzky to claim South Africa’s first Olympic cycling medal since Melbourne 1956. 

Hatherly attacked from the start, moving into the lead early on, and though he was shunted back to seventh or so at one stage, he kept pressing and surging, eventually moving into third spot with a healthy gap behind him.

Pidcock, the pre-race favourite, was forced to stop for a wheel change and Hatherly moved into second until the Briton powered his way back up the front of the field.

Hatherly was one of three medal hopes on the day, with swimmers Tatjana Smith and Pieter Coetzé still to compete on Monday night.

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