By Will Jennings in Paris

BETH POTTER bagged Britain’s triathlon stars a battling Olympic bronze as they were dramatically downgraded from silver on a manic Monday morning in Paris.

The Scot, who had also won bronze in her individual race last week, ran the final leg of this thrilling mixed relay and despite Team GB initially being awarded silver, they were eventually bumped down to third on an agonising photo finish.

Germany grabbed gold as the United States, who had superstar cyclist Taylor Knibb on their final leg, narrowly outsprinted Potter to snatch silver on Paris’ iconic Pont Alexandre III.

Potter, Alex Yee, Georgia Taylor-Brown and Sam Dickinson thought they had come second after the result was displayed on the big screens and appeared to be confirmed.

But moments later, word spread that the Americans had pipped them in heart-thumping photo finish as Britain, defending champions in this innovative new event from Tokyo, ended up with bronze.

Speaking on confusion, 2023 world champion Potter, 32, said: “We thought it was silver at the end, and then there seemed to be a delay.

“Then I think they looked at the photo finish and gave us the bronze.

“The run leg was tough and I think I was a bit tired from the bike.

“I got a bit detached in the first leg, but managed to get myself back into the mix, and then was just all in for the last 200 metres.

“I thought we might have had the silver, but we got a bronze. It’s still a medal.”

Yee, who won a dramatic individual men’s gold medal last week, added: “There was initially a bit of confusion, but I guess they just hadn’t fully seen the photo finish yet.

“Of course, we're going to be biased. We'd love the silver medal, but we are immensely proud of getting that bronze medal.

“The efforts that Beth put in that last leg were pretty heroic. It was an amazing day overall for us and one hell of a spectacle.”

The triathlon events in Paris had been shrouded in uncertainty in the build-up to the Games owing to high levels of pollution in the River Seine.

The men’s race was pushed back 24 hours – the same day as the women – but after several days of sunshine in the French capital, Monday’s mixed relay never looked in doubt.

Britain battled it out with Germany at the front for the majority of the contest as Yee, 26, and Taylor-Brown, a Tokyo individual silver medallist who finished sixth in last week’s women’s race, got off to a fast start.

Dickinson delivered a solid third leg and despite Potter inheriting a five-second lead for the finale, she was soon reeled in by Knibb and German Laura Lindemann on the cycle.

That teed up a tantalising sprint finish on the run but it was Germany, who finished sixth in Tokyo as Yee, Taylor-Brown, Jonny Brownlee and Jess Learmonth claimed gold, who edged it as Knibb beat Potter to silver by the barest of margins.

Yee, who won individual silver in Tokyo, has enjoyed a Paris Games to savour after snatching men’s gold with a dramatic late overtake on New Zealand rival Hayden Wilde.

But he insists he will not get carried away with enhanced media attention and wants to continue inspiring the next generation of budding triathlon talent.

“I’m still the same bloke,” he said.

“I'm just enjoying my sport and the most rewarding thing for me is that hopefully we've inspired a new generation to take up our sport, and fall in love with the Olympics like we all did when we were younger.

“That's really special.”

Potter, Yee and Taylor-Brown are Team GB’s big triathlon names in Paris but for Dickinson, the York star immersed himself in an Olympic debut to savour.

The 27-year-old was part of England’s gold medal winning team at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and helped secure Team GB a mixed relay quota spot with silver at Montreal’s World Triathlon Championship Series in June 2022.

He did not finish last week’s individual race in the French capital but loved the experience of helping haul his teammates to a medal.

“My whole Olympics was geared towards today,” he said.

“I’m super happy with the team to put ourselves in that position, and it’s unbelievable to win a medal.

“The third leg of a relay is my job, and that's what I came here and delivered so I’m really happy with that.”

Taylor-Brown, 30, added: “I think that's all we could have really asked for.

“We're super, super, super proud of each other, and we all put together the best performances we possibly could.

“Beth definitely emptied herself at the end to get back on to those two. So, it’s super, super impressive.”

Aldi are proud Official Partners of Team GB & ParalympicsGB, supporting all athletes through to Paris 2024