The Olympic silver medallist made up a deficit of 16 seconds following the bike section to overhaul long-time pacesetter Hayden Wilde on the run.

New Zealand’s Wilde briefly regained the lead but, with a 10-second penalty hanging over him, he patted Yee on the shoulder and waved him on to take the honours on his own.

Wilde sat out his penalty — incurred for not putting his cycling helmet away properly in the transition — but last year’s Olympic bronze medallist still took silver.

Australia’s Matthew Hauser won bronze in an event in which 2018 champion Henri Schoeman pulled out prior to the start.

The women’s race featuring Bermuda’s Olympic champion Flora Duffy takes place later on Friday.

 AFP