• Matt Hauser missed out on a medal on the Gold Coast four years ago.
• He took home the bronze in Birmingham, just three seconds short of the silver.
• Though they were agonizingly still so far away, those three seconds appeared.

Matt Hauser, his body immediately warned him to quit thinking ridiculous things after his mind briefly wondered.

Whether he could still grab the silver medal.

One of the two leaders, Kiwi Hayden Wilde, had a 10-second penalty looming over him among the two who were far ahead of him.

Before he docked his bike, Wilde, who had been in the lead for the majority of the race, unclipped his helmet strap.

When he realized his mistake, he grabbed the strap and used one hand to hold it in place while he docked his bike. Just before the finish line, he would have to spend 10 seconds in a penalty box.

Theoretically, this gave Hauser a little window of opportunity to pass him while he was seated in the bad spot.

In the first half, Hauser’s coach was shouting, “Hayden has a penalty,” and I responded, “I’m just trying to hang onto third here friend, crikey, “Hauser said.

“I tried everything I could, I definitely emptied the tank, and I could see [Wilde] waiting in the penalty area. I had hoped that he would throw a bigger party toward the end and that I would advance to second. Nevertheless, being in third is a positive thing.

I would have liked to trade places at my home Games, but it’s good to finish the job here in Birmingham four years later. Fourth by two seconds on the Gold Coast.

Alex Yee of England was able to contain Wilde in the last run leg after taking the lead for the majority of the race.

In a charming display of sportsmanship, Wilde realized that his gold had vanished with the flick of a helmet strap.

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