Video: Jonny Brownlee edges Alistair in Hamburg
Younger Brownlee wins sprint finish at ITU sprint race
Jonathan Brownlee came out on top at the ITU World Triathlon Hamburg following a stunning sprint finish against his older brother, Alistair. Non Stanford and Jodie Stimpson also achieved podium finishes in the women’s race to make it arguable the most successful ever performance at a World Triathlon Series event as British athletes won four of the six medals available.
The greatly anticipated clash between the three men’s Olympic medallists lived up to its billing over the sprint distance event. Alistair won the epic previous round in Kitzbühel (6 July) but has missed training due ankle injury sustained earlier in the year. Jonathan missed Kitzbühel with a stomach bug but favours the shorter races, and Gomez is a previous winner in Hamburg and capable of matching the brothers on any course.
After a typically fast swim, the race really got underway on the bike with a group of eleven escapees reduced to nine but the torrid pace set by Alistair, Jonathan and Gomez. By the start of the run it was clear that the race would be decided between these three and although Henri Schoeman (RSA) briefly ran with them, it was Jonathan that led for most of the race.
As the 5km run progressed Gomez dropped off and at the finishing straight an exciting sprint finish unfolded with Alistair making the first break for home only to be outsprinted by his younger brother.
Jonathan said: “I knew I had to give it all to the last of it. Alistair doesn’t like to run behind people, he likes to run in front. We got to the last bit and he came past me and I was feeling quite comfortable and I couldn’t remember if we were finishing on the right hand side or the left hand side but it was good.”
Alistair added: “What a great race. To be honest, the aim of today for me was to be in the hunt to win the race and I was more than happy to be there on that last corner. I think I went a bit too early but Jonny is a clever old sod and he kept a bit back.”
Results Men
1. Jonathan Brownlee, GBR, 51:05
2. Alistair Brownlee, GBR, 51:05
3. Javier Gomez, ESP, 51:14
33. Adam Bowden, GBR, 53:23
38. David Mcnamee, GBR, 53:34
55. Matthew Sharp, GBR, 54:15
Image: Janos Schmidt/ITU
Matt Baird
Editor of Cycling Plus magazine 
