Brownlee brothers ready to add to Britain’s bumper haul in Brazil
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It’s been a sensational Olympics for Great Britain in Brazil thus far, and with Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee raring to go in the men’s triathlon, the British contingent could be seeing yet more glory.
The brothers claimed a famous double in London four years ago, with Alistair powering to gold as Jonathan grabbed the bronze.
And now in Brazil, there’s every chance a repeat is on the cards.
The brothers, Alistair 28 and Johnny 26, train together and have made clear in the press they will be looking out for each other as they undertake the gruelling challenge.
A 1.5km swim is followed by 43km on the bike and a 10km run to the finish.
There is a piece of history on the line for Alistair too, for if he claims a second gold he will became the greatest Olympic triathlete of all time.
The brothers’ chances have been boosted too by the absence of Javier Gomez – the man who split the siblings in London – who pulled out last month with a broken elbow.
But things haven’t been easy for the Yorkshire pair either, with Alistair undergoing ankle surgery last year in an effort to end a series of niggling injuries.
A dominant performance at the inaugural World Series Triathlon event in Leeds this June, however, suggests the surgery was a success.
And pre-Olympic preparation at altitude in St Moritz and then again in Brazil, has left the elder sibling feeling more confident than ever.
It’s an ominous warning for Alistair’s rivals, the strongest of whom is set to be Spain’s Mario Mola.
The 26-year-old has enjoyed a sterling year, winning five of the six World ITU events he has entered.
The senior Brownlee has been more selective about which events to enter this year, but his superb Leeds performance was followed up by a similar one in Stockholm in July.
At 28 he should be entering the peak of his physical ability, and with a piece of history within his grasp, Alistair Brownlee is going to take some beating in Brazil.
Ladbrokes is not an official sponsor of the Olympics and is in no way affiliated with any of the competing athletes, events or competitions being held in Rio de Janeiro this summer.
