Where is Alistair Brownlee? Annie Emerson opens up on reason Brownlee is missing out
Hazel Irvine presents BBC's Olympics coverage
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Alistair Brownlee is the only athlete to hold two Olympic titles in the triathlon event, winning gold medals in the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games. However, fans have noticed he is absent from the Games this year.
Both Brownlee brothers Alistair and Jonny are triathletes, however, only Jonny has made it to the Olympics this year.
This was the third successive Olympics for Jonny, and he was hoping for a medal after winning silver in Rio and bronze in London.
However, it was not to be, with Jonny coming fifth and the gold going to GB’s Alex Yee.
Jonny’s brother Alistair was notably absent from the Olympics this year, so where was he and why didn’t he compete?
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Where is Alastair Brownlee?
Speaking on BBC One today, Annie Emerson opened up on the reason the Brownlee is missing out.
Emerson said: “Alistair has had a difficult start to the year. I think he really had a dream to go to one last Olympics, but unfortunately, his body hasn’t really allowed him to and he suffered an injury which has seen him sit out run training for several months now.
“And I guess by the time it got to the last qualification race he just knew it wasn’t going to happen.”
Jason Mohammad said: “He’s such a ferocious competitor isn’t he?”
Emerson said: “He changes races unlike any other triathlete in the world without a doubt.
“He’s incredibly talented but he’s very brave, and he’s a very intelligent racer.
“And you need that in triathlon because there are so many different aspects to the race itself.”
Speaking about the competing Brownlee brother, Emerson said: “Jonny is amazing, Jonny – if you put them together – is probably the most talented.
“I think that Alistair says his younger brother gives him a good kicking in training.
“But when it comes down to the racing, it’s all about the head and I guess that Alistair just comes out on top.”
One iconic moment fans will remember of the Brownlee brothers took place during the 2016 World Triathlon Series in Cozumel, Mexico.
As the race entered the final 10km, Jonny was visibly struggling in the heat and could be seen weaving across the course.
He had been leading the race, however, South African Henri Schoeman took over as Jonny struggled and at one point stopped running.
Alistair, who had been in third for much of the race, spotted his brother and put his arm around him, helping him to the finish.
He carried a lethargic Jonny through the final few hundred metres, then pushed him across the line into second place.
While there was a furore around whether Jonny’s place was legitimate, triathlon rules allow assistance from other competitors.
Alistair had suffered a similar moment in Hyde Park in 2010, and he told the BBC: “If it happened to anyone I would have helped them across the line because it’s an awful position to be in.
“If he’d conked out before the finish line and there wasn’t medical support it could have been really dangerous.
“It was a natural human reaction to my brother but for anyone, I would have done the same thing. I think it’s as close to death as you can be in sport.”
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