Brownlee Tops British Success

 

by James Skitt - 14.09.09

Alistair Brownlee claimed the 2009 Dextro Energy Triathlon – ITU World Championship series title and World Championship with victory in the series Grand Final on the Gold Coast. The British squad, supported by English Institute of Sport (EIS) Physiotherapist Emma Deakin and Nutritionist Kevin Currell in Australia, enjoyed a superb weekend finishing with two gold, two silver and a bronze medal overall.

Brownlee, who also won the London leg in Hyde Park last month, claimed his fifth win of the series in a time of 1;44.51, which was more than what was required to see him crowned the overall series Champion ahead of Spain’s Javier Gomez.

“It’s absolutely amazing,” said Brownlee afterwards. ”I really had to give it one hundred percent today and I’m absolutely delighted with myself.”

A fifth placed finish or higher in Australia would have been sufficient for him to claim the overall title, but nevertheless Brownlee surged ahead of closest rival Gomez on the final lap to win in style, finishing 6 seconds ahead.

“Every athlete in every race wants to win and I really wanted to win the world title and I wasn’t going to do anything to make sure that didn’t happen, but when I saw the chance to win then I knew I wasn’t going to lay down” he continued.

“I was going to give it everything and I was delighted with how the race went” he added.

Brownlee’s success was part of a superb weekend for Great Britain as Hollie Avil claimed gold ahead of Jodie Stimpson for a British one-two in the Women’s Under 23 event, whilst Alistair’s younger brother Jonathan Brownlee made it a weekend to remember for the family with silver in the Junior Men’s event. Helen Jenkins was Britain’s other medallist, claiming a bronze medal in the Women’s elite event to boost her overall ranking for the series up to fifth.

British Triathlon accesses a number of EIS support services as part of their programme, including performance nutrition, physiotherapy, physiology and strength and conditioning. For more information about the British Triathlon programme, visit their website at www.britishtriathlon.org

Photography © Getty Images