Hong Kong officials apologise for fresh national anthem blunder, launch internal review after triathlon mix-up
- Team GB’s Sian Rainsley wins elite women’s race, only for local organisers to play Spanish national anthem at medal ceremony
- Spain’s Alberto Gonzalez Garcia triumphs in men’s event, and does get to hear the Marcha Real all the way through
Organisers of Sunday’s Triathlon World Cup in Hong Kong have apologised after the wrong national anthem was played during the women’s medal ceremony.
Gold medal winner Sian Rainsley of Team GB was standing on the podium having won the elite women’s race waiting to hear God Save the King, only for the Spanish national anthem, Marcha Real, to be played instead.
The Spanish anthem continued for 40 seconds. An awkward silence lasting more than two minutes followed, before the correct anthem was played.
Red faced officials from the Triathlon Association of Hong Kong, China, apologised, and promised “an internal review to prevent similar incidents from happening again”.
Victory in Hong Kong marked arguably the best result of Rainsley’s career, as she overcame experienced American pair Katie Zaferes and Kirsten Kasper to win her first World Cup race.
A Youth Olympic Games silver medalist in 2014, Rainsley missed most of 2023 because of a serious ankle injury, but the 26-year-old is now part of the Team GB Olympic selection conversation.