Not sure whether anyone noticed, but Ali Brownlee, winner of many fell races, achieved British Triathlon's selection criteria by finishing third in the Madrid Triathlon World Cup (first Brit) and has put himself in line for selection for Beijing - a fantastic performance. The team is announced on 26th June.
Originally Posted by bvb
..excellent news, let's hope he makes it
I think it is sad how little coverage triathlon gets in the press. Not only is it an awesome sport with the Ironman being the ultimate sporting event IMO we have some superb British athletes in this sport that get little to no recognition in the general sporting world.
Chrissie Wellington came from nowhere to win THE biggest triathlon event in the World - The Hawaii Ironman. How much news press did that get?
Why walk when you can run.
It would be a great achievement for Ali to make the Olympics in what (I think) is his first proper senior year.
Triathlon is going to suffer the same way as any endurance running event. They won't show anything longer than an 800m race on telly, which is where most of the exposure is. Like Ben says, we've had some great triathletes in Britain, but they're not household names because they're not either footballers, or sprinters.
1st Brit in the qualifying race, ahead of Tim Don & Will Clarke should mean he's going!?? http://www.tri247.com/article_3404_B...html?category=
Some good info on the other contenders here: http://www.tri247.com/article_3395_O....html?category=
He's in. Congratulations Ali Brownlee! It has been officially announced that the 20yr old Bingley Harrier has been selected for the British Triathlon Team at the Beijing Olympics.
It was announced yesterday at Hyde Park and a quote from Alistair reads,
"I'm not massively confident of winning, but I am confident I can get a good top five or top 10 result," Brownlee, 20, told Reuters at Hyde Park in London, venue for the 2012 London Games triathlon.
"I'm not the fastest runner there because I am quite young and there are older guys who can run faster than me, but when the race is hard and if it is after a hard bike I am pretty quick." This is a typical understatement from a very unassuming young man. He has no airs or graces, I remember earlier this year when Dave Woodhead got him to wear a pair of Bunny Ears when he turned up at the extremely popular Bunny Runs.
Show em what you've got Ali and do yourself and the rest of us proud.
Excellent & well deserved. I was talking to a colleague a week or so back who is a member of Leeds-Bradford Tri club and he said that Ali has been targeting 2012 but has been 'pleasantly surprised' (another understatement!!?) by his progress this year.
He's already done himself proud if he maintains such a sporting attitude and demeanour. What a contrast to the cry babies and big heads of soccer.
"I am not a number! I am a free man!"
Alistair's selection was on the local (Yorks) BBC TV news yesterday
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