Double Olympic triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee MBE (Sports Science and Physiology 2009, Hon LLD 2013), widely considered the greatest triathlete of all time, has retired from the sport.
After an illustrious 18-year career, Alistair leaves the sport as the only athlete to defend Olympic triathlon gold – making him the most successful triathlete in Olympic history.
He was crowned world triathlon champion twice, won the European title four times, and won the Commonwealth Games at Glasgow 2014. In total, Alistair amassed 22 World Series golds.
“Triathlon has profoundly shaped my life,” Alistair wrote on social media. “I have dedicated nearly half of it to being a professional athlete, fulfilling my childhood dream and achieving far more than I ever dared to imagine.”
His career has been closely tied to the University. Born and bred in the city, Alistair and brother Jonny Brownlee MBE (History 2012, Hon LLD 2013) have trained at the University throughout their professional careers – as students and alumni.
Their unprecedented success led to the growth of the renowned Leeds Triathlon Centre, helping inspire and drive world class athletes to new levels. Between 2012 and 2024, athletes who trained in Leeds won 16 Olympic medals between them.
The brothers were the catalyst for the introduction of a World Series race in Leeds, and Alistair’s victories in the city in 2016 and 2017 count among his finest.
They were key to the development of a new £5m University sports facility in 2017. The Brownlee Centre was the UK’s first purpose-built triathlon training base. The brothers also set up the Brownlee Foundation to help children get involved in sport – their free, non-competitive triathlon events have had over 66,000 participants.
A fearless competitor
Known for his ruthless racing style, Alistair dominated the sport for over a decade alongside his brother Jonny. They are credited with taking triathlon to new heights as they pushed each other on the world's biggest stages – as well as increasing its popularity around the globe.
Alistair made his Olympic debut at Beijing in 2008 as a Leeds student when he was aged 20. He finished 12th, although he led until the final three kilometres – an indicator of his potential. He was crowned world champion a year later.
But it was the London 2012 Olympic Games that introduced Alistair – and triathlon – to new audiences. “I’d thought about that race almost every day for seven years,” Alistair said. “Since I heard London had won the bid in July 2005.”
Alistair broke clear in the 10km run around Hyde Park to take gold, with Jonny finishing in third place. Even after the swimming and cycling, Alistair’s 10km run time of 29.07 was only a minute and a half down on that run by Mo Farah in taking track gold in London – and Alistair had walked the final 200 metres.
Spanish athlete Javier Gomez, who placed second, recently called it “the highest level triathlon" ever, and named Alistair “the best athlete to ever do this sport”.
At Rio 2016 Alistair won his second Olympic gold, and the brothers became the first siblings in history to finish first and second in an individual event at the Olympic Games.
Later that year, in a dramatic scene which made mainstream headlines around the globe, Alistair supported Jonny over the finish line at a race in Mexico when his brother’s legs gave way. Alistair – who was placed third at the time – propped Jonny up for 700m before helping him over the line to second place.
Injury ended Alistair’s hopes of competing in the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, and he switched to long course racing for the final three years of his professional career.
The triathlon centre of the world
Leeds has become synonymous with triathlon, and the model developed by Alistair and Jonny blazed a path for generations of Leeds athletes to follow. “We both really appreciated how the University supported us during our time here,” Alistair said in 2014. “Leeds enabled us to juggle our education and training commitments, so we were able to enjoy the best of both worlds.”
As Bradley Colver, Head of Triathlon at the University said: “Success breeds success. People want to come to Leeds to be part of something that has bred world champions, future world champions and Olympic medallists.
“A lot of the people come to Leeds because of Alistair.”
At the Rio Games, all three of the men’s triathlon team were Leeds alumni, with Gordon Benson (Nutrition 2016) joining the medal-winning brothers.
In Tokyo, 5th placed Jonny was joined by silver medal-winner Alex Yee – who trained with the brothers in Leeds.
At Paris 2024, triathlete Sam Dickinson (Sports Science and Physiology 2019) won bronze in the team relay event. He also supported Alex Yee to gold in the individual event.
“I watched the Brownlees win Olympic gold and bronze at London 2012,” Sam said. “It inspired me to take up the sport, and now I’ve won my own. It’s pretty cool.”
“Leeds has become a focal point for triathlon in the world,” Jonny said. “That’s down to the universities, the training squads, the elite coaches, the world series event, and the facilities with the Yorkshire Dales and swimming pools.”
And, of course, the Brownlee brothers.
Further information
For more information, email Ed Newbould, Digital Communications Officer at the University of Leeds, at e.w.newbould@leeds.ac.uk.