News > POA

Penalty, collapse mar British triathlon win Back To Main

Pakistan Today

LONDON - Britain's Alistair Brownlee won gold with the fastest Olympic triathlon yet Tuesday as his brother Jonny recovered from a time penalty to take bronze -- and then dramatically collapsed minutes later. The elder Brownlee completed the 1.5km swim, 43km bike-ride and 10km run at London's scenic Hyde Park in 1hr 45min 25sec, the quickest since triathlon's Olympic debut in 2000, and 11 seconds ahead of Spain's Javier Gomez.
But his jubilation at walking across the line, draped in a Union Flag to thunderous applause, turned to worry when Jonny, crossing 31 seconds behind, collapsed and started vomiting after his extreme exertions.
After an hour's delay for medical treatment, the three medallists emerged for the victory ceremony but the younger brother was too weak to stand as he gave media interviews. It underlines the intensity of triathlon -- and reprises similar scenes in 2010 when Alistair Brownlee, who was leading a race on the same course, was taken ill 400 metres from the finish and staggered across the line in ninth.
"After the finish I collapsed. I crossed the line and I felt awful, but that's part of racing. But I got into the tent afterwards and I got worse and worse and I overheated," Jonny Brownlee said.