FILE PHOTO: British Olympic triathlete and two time gold medallist Alistair Brownlee poses for a photograph near his home in Leeds, Britain, March 31, 2021. Picture taken March 31, 2021. REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo
LONDON (Reuters) -Double Olympic triathlon gold medallist and twice world champion Alistair Brownlee, who along with his brother Jonathan helped make Britain the sport's dominant force at the Games, announced his retirement on Thursday at the age of 36.
"It's time to close this chapter," he posted on Instagram. "Triathlon has profoundly shaped my life, I have dedicated half of it to be being a professional athlete, fulfilling my childhood dream and achieving far more than I ever dared imagine."
Brownlee took gold in the 1,500 metres swim, 40km bike, 10km run event in London in 2012, with younger brother Jonathan claiming bronze, then retained the title in Rio de Janeiro as Jonathan stepped up to silver.
He then moved up to longer distances, winning the Nice Half Ironman in 2019 and although persistent ankle injuries hampered his performance, he signed off his career with a third-place finish on Sunday in the final race of the new T100 series.
"It has got more difficult for me. I can't do anywhere near the training that I used to be able to do," Brownlee told the Professional Triathletes Organisation.
"I think I probably could compete for wins in the T100 but ... I probably can't beat the very top guys on their day.
"Most frustratingly, the thing that I found the hardest competing now is that I built a career on the ethos that I was the best-prepared I possibly could be on the start line and basically I can't do that.
"I want to stay fit and healthy and be part of sport, hopefully into my old age, and I'm definitely aware of putting the miles on the clock and wearing things down. So I want to retire fit and healthy and not be forced to retire by injury and illness."
BROWNLEE ARRIVES
Already a junior world champion, Brownlee burst onto the wider scene at the 2008 Olympics when, as a rookie 20-year-old, he blasted into an audacious early lead, before being overhauled to finish 12th.
The following year he won all five world series races he entered to be crowned world champion and took that title again in 2011.
The highlight of his career came in 2012 when, roared home by huge crowds on the streets of London, he won the Olympic title, with his brother taking bronze.
He won gold at the Commonwealth Games in 2014 – with Jonathan second - before retaining his Olympic title in Rio, with Jonny again second.
The brothers also combined in 2016 for one of the sport's iconic moments when Jonathan started to stumble close to collapse as he led at the end of a world series race in Mexico. When Alistair saw his brother in distress he stopped running to help him, virtually pushing him over the line into second place.
His move up to longer distances brought mixed results, partly due to persistent injuries, but he did twice finish second in the Half Ironman world championships in 2018 and 2019.
One of the most down-to-earth and approachable elite athletes across all sport, Brownlee continued to take part in local cross-country races in his native Yorkshire, while away from racing he and Jonathan set up the Brownlee Foundation that for the last 10 years has helped encourage children into sport.
Alex Yee, also a multiple Olympic medallist, has overtaken Brownlee as triathlon’s most successful Olympian but their combined haul has contributed to Britain being the most successful nation in the sport at the Games.
(Reporting by Mitch Phillips; Editing by Peter Graff and Ken Ferris)
