Couldn't disagree more. The Brownlee's have a much higher profile than Christie every had. Plus as someone has pointed out IMs are never shown live on BBC! .

During the summer IM races are on one of the main channels on tv. Do you mean early Sunday morning on Ch4++??

I just took a quick poll at work, about 16 people here. All knew the Brownlees. A couple knew 'there is an Ironman in Hawaii'. Less than half knew Chrissie Wellington.

Tokyo is officially a sprint, the ITU announced it.

Whilst AB may find gold harder to come by in that, Great Britain must be favourites for Gold in the mixed relay. I think that's his more likely source of gold #3

The vast majority of those that know the Brownlees now that they have crossed over to mainstream (purely from the 2 Olympics + brother carrying) are likely to be almost as unaware of the annual ITU series as Kona/long course, and will think that triathlon is something that is done only when the Olympics comes around.

I'd imagine that the majority keen enough to watch a live 'ordinary' ITU triathlon will probably also at least be aware of Kona.

The mainstream interest will probably move on once B's do...I remember at times the nation coming to a standstill for Ice Dancing...Snooker...etc....but only for the short term.

He needs to decide what he wants to shoot for. Another Olympics will keep building that mainstream profile for the 2 years leading in and put him in the 'Great Olympians' ball park if he's successful. Kona would see that mainstream profile start to ebb away, but of course a Kona title or two would bring 'greatest ever triathlete' into range. He has a tough call to make.....

When? Cause I certainly haven’t read anything and google only returns info about mixed relay

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Terrible Tuesday’s Triathlon

oscaro wrote:

When? Cause I certainly haven’t read anything and google only returns info about mixed relay

You're right - the relay was announced - but sprint stated as a preference. Sorry about that!

I'm pretty sure you are correct. Standard distance for individual and sprint for mixed relay.

Months after the race, also true for them being shown on SkySports or Eurosport months after as a short highlights package.

I know in the past he has done well, the guy is a legend at every distance. I think is injuries are going to catch up though and he won't have the top end that he used to, especially not compared to guys like Mola and Birdwhistle. MTR maybe, but for the same reason, younger guys might actually be faster. Will be interesting to see.

Just a general reply to the thread here, you guys crack me up. First of all you are arguing about a distance that isn't even a race in the individual olympic game schedule, and coming up with all sorts of reasons Ali won't be able to sprint against the others.

And even if he did, who out runs him in a 5k? Nobody at no time when he is on. And all this Murray, Mola, or whoever talk, haven't they been racing as hard(actually harder) than Ali has over the past decade? What are they all of a sudden going to be younger and fresher than he is, and have closed the gap he has held for that entire decade.

Now if you want to talk about true contenders, then talk about the actual new guys on the scene that have moved up to Murray and Mola and Johnny. There are a couple and perhaps one of those makes the last bit of painful gain to outrun Ali on his day, but I don't think so. But if it happens it will be one of those guys, not the usual suspects.

Now of course all of this is based on a fit and 99% AB showing up to the games, which is a good bet given past history. Of course he has been beaten in the past, but almost always having some kind of bad day, and those have been few and far between.

I'n not even sure what his plans are, but I would assume with the new relay medal he might like to have that one in his medal case too. Then maybe an ironman, but I just have a weird feeling that he is going to call it quits before he gets that far. He will have had a very long and hard career after 2020, he would really have to want it to keep going if he were to have a successful 3rd games..

One other thing that hasn't been mentioned is the potential for him to domestique Jonny in Tokyo (which he has hinted at)

Im sure he could manage that aswel as the mixed relay without fully comiting to short course and still race/train long?

Do you mean like he did in Leeds last year :) That ride by AB was the best ITU bike ride I've ever seen. Some monster pulls and then kicks away on the run.

I think Leeds 2016 was better just for that 2 mins when AB dropped out the lead bike group to drag JB back up there from the chase group, leaving Gomez and Mola(?) in no-mans land.

I still have no idea how they managed to pull that off.

The same way in their prime Phelps won all his golds, Jordan use to hit buzzer beaters and Tiger won majors.

The best do what the rest of us can’t even think of doing.

I agree about Leeds 2016 over 2017... 2017 was impressive as hell, but in 2016 AB literally manhandled the field in a way that few ever could (probably the male equivalent to what Duffy did in Yokohama... and pretty much every race except for Montreal...)...

In terms of the olympics, the ITU has not announced sprint distance for Tokyo... The MTR is super sprint as usual, and for now, the race is still standard distance. There is the possibility of moving to a sprint distance, but I suspect if that's the case, it would be announced soon, before we get into the qualification period, since it may affect some national federations approach to where they send their athletes...

I was at Leeds 2016. Raced as an AGer in the morning and it was the most appalling race experience of my life (and I got off lightly compared to some).

AB's reading of the course, and race execution, including slowing up to allow JB to bridge then pulling away again was unreal. He shaped the entire race into how he wanted it. No one else could do that.

I'll never forget the look on his face as he exploded out of T1 and powered up the 400m hill. Epitome of race face.

It's nice to see that Alister participated in the athlete meeting at this one.

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Genetics load the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger.

Wonder why #Bahrain13 #millionbucks

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Terrible Tuesday’s Triathlon

Money talks:)

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Genetics load the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger.

plus, he really loves sports.

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https://lshtm.academia.edu/MikeCallaghan

http://howtobeswiss.blogspot.ch/

Link for live coverage of the race tomorrow:

http://eu.ironman.com/...y=2018#axzz55s8ZM4t8

I've just seen on inst that JB & AB are racing WTS Dubia on 2 March. I guess that means he is still very much thinking about Tokyo

Way to keep it real, Monty!

Or using it as a sharpener for the Common Wealth games in April......

Many thanks.