Henri Schoeman won a surprise bronze in the men's triathlon at the Rio Olympics yesterday, just two days after he lay in bed with fever, weeping at his misfortune. His more favoured compatriot, Richard Murray, blistered both his feet in a surging late run to finish fourth just seven seconds behind. Four months ago Murray was undergoing surgery for a shattered collarbone.Durban-based Schoeman, a stronger swimmer than Murray, came out of the water with the breakaway and stuck there throughout the 40km cycle, preserving his legs.He was sixth going into the run - his weakest of the three legs - and held firm while others wilted under the hot Brazilian sun.Schoeman was never going to catch the invincible Brownlee brothers of Britain, with defending champion Alistair taking the gold, and Jonathan silver.But Schoeman was solid enough to land the first international triathlon medal of his career, and South Africa's eighth gong of the Games. By yesterday evening the haul comprised one gold, five silver and two bronze."I knew the heat was going to be a bit of a factor and that hard bike was also going to be a factor," said Schoeman, 24."I was saving my legs so I knew towards the end there were going to be some casualties. I tried to keep my cool at the beginning and it paid off at the end."The last two laps of the run, however, were tough. I knew on my last lap I just had to dig deep, hold on to that third."That last stretch I was basically sprinting for my life," said Schoeman, who was on such a high after the race he felt he "could go another one".Yet he had received the all-clear to race only the day before. "A week ago I fell ill and I've had fever the whole week. "Two days ago I was struggling. I was so emotional I was in tears. I didn't do any training, I was just lying in bed trying to recover," said Schoeman, the younger brother of swimmer Riaan, an Olympian at the past two Games.Schoeman was also a swimmer who, when he stopped growing at 1.70m, switched codes to realise his Olympics dream.He is coached in cycling and running by his father, Joe, a former athlete, and in swimming by Alisdair Hatfield.Murray's 30min 34sec run was the fastest on the day, making up for a poor swim in which he left the water in 47th place."Some people say I'm the first loser, but I say I'm the first winner. Three months ago people said I wouldn't be here."..