I read that article and it was only speculating that it was theoretically possible under the new KPR system - Q for Kona early as possible with a win to clear the decks for a long Tokyo focussed training block then Kona block after Tokyo.

Ali has not wavered from his view soon after Rio that it would be Kona or Tokyo, with the decision made at the end of 2018 season.

Think he has quite enough on his plate trying to get on any start line fit at the moment to start thinking about doubling up in one season.....

I reckon he's going to domestiq Jonny for Tokyo, he'll be able to handle that as well as long I'm sure.

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I think he can do just fine in Tokyo and drill it in Kona. There is plenty of time between both to just ramp up some longer rides. He will have the swim and run covered. To run sub 30 10k you are already on the high volume run program, so it is just jacking up the bike mileage and maybe a few 2:10 runs. Other than that he will be done and likely better prepared than a bunch of Kona bound pros.

Sure if he just needs to be in sub 30 shape the two are doable, but he needs to be in mid 28 shape to have a chance at gold in Tokyo, which will not happen if he’s training for an IM. That would be like asking Rupp to bang out a 26:50 during marathon training, just not gonna happen.
Now one could argue that he is far above anyone currently doing fulls and that he therefore could win Kona on mainly oly distance training, though with Gomez in the pic that seems unlikely.
If he does both it will most probably be to domestique Jonny, no doubt though that if he manages to get Jonny to t2 in a good position he will also try and go for it, that’s what makes him awesome. Oly 04 was my favorite, just going for it from t2, ballsy and awesome

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Terrible Tuesday’s Triathlon

I think he probably knows that winning it purely on the run these days is unlikely, but if it's a full standard (not the rumoured sprint) with a bike course that gives him a chance of getting away with a small group then he's still very much in with a shout. Not sure when the distances/courses are announced but I would think that would be a major factor in any decision.

As for winning Kona how Gomez goes will be a big factor. Fairly sure a decent bike and a run just below 2:50 put you right in the mix when Frodo first went across. Think the game has moved on since; you really need to be on the Hawi express train and running mid 2:40 to have a chance against the decent bike/2:40ish run Lange's of this world. That's going to be a tough ask when it will be Gomez' second IM. If Gomez comes say 12th, then I think it will make Brownlee realise he really has to commit, rather than dabble to contend.

Can't wait :-)

Oh and it still looks as if Ali will be starting 70.3 Lizhou:

https://www.tri247.com/...nlee-liuzhou-preview

There´s something that Ali has learnt since London´12: he cannot be at T2 with that bunch of guys that can run ridiculously fast such as Mola, Luis, Murray, Gomez, even Blu... Now, some young guys are coming from U23: Montoya, Coninx, Hauser, Yee...so, given that his good days doing sub 29s are over (mainly because he gets injured too often when he pushes so much in his running training) his races must be based on a good bike leg, because he is a beast ... yep, he can have a chance in Tokyo killing the race before T2

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Spaniard. Sorry for my english for the sensitive ones :P

Ali has said in the past that the mixed relay is the big draw for Tokyo. I don't think he'll be gunning for a medal in the individual race (maybe he'll just help lil bro on the swim and bike) but the chance to win the first relay gold with his brother is why Tokyo is still on his radar.

I asked Gomez a few weeks ago if he had any Tokyo ambitions because of the relay and he said the relay distance is way too short for him.

On a related note, Rich Murray needs to hurry up and wife up Rachel Klamer so she can get her SA citizenship. A team with Schoeman, Murray and Klamer would be the the clear gold medal favorite.

I want to see him "pulling a Kamworor". I`ve said it before.

(Geoffrey Kamworor sometimes wins crosscountry/halfmarathon worlds in spring, goes on to run an impressive global championships in summer and then finally nails a marathon in the fall.)

I guess balancing races between 30min and 2 hours is easier than between 2 and 8 hours. But Ali could focus on Tokyo and then just do a short specific ironman block and see where it puts him. He will learn some lessons and can come back in 2021.

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10k - 30:48 / half - 1:06:40

Would they? A British team could have both Brownlee's and the two best women from Holland, Stanford, Stimpson, Jenkins, Learnmoth and Coldwell.

SPOILER ALERT (although it was 1 week ago so is it really a spoiler?)

Australia has to be the front-runner for mixed relay gold coming off last year's world champs in Hamburg and this year's Commonwealth games. England had the Brownlees, Learmonth and Holland who were in the mix until 3rd leg when Ashleigh Gentle caught Learmonth in the bike and then setup a gap for Birtwhistle to cruise for the win by about 1 min. Ali looked quite uncomfortable on the run in both the individual and team events coming off his injuries.

@Kid

Learmouth was clearly having a bad day at the relay. Had she been in the same form that won her a medal a few days previously, I doubt Gentle would have been in front of her into T2

But of course, if, butts and maybes...

Even if she wasn't Birtwhistle still cruised in, lapping up the crowd, while still increasing the gap on Brownlee, Hamburg world champs he took over in 5th place with quite a deficit and still managed a nice win. If he needed more on Sat he would have had it. In one interview straight after the race he said as such.

Brownlee solo’d off the front in the swim (21:49), lead up to 8/9 mins by the look with a predicted 2:00:xx bike. Tactics of a man hoping to nurse it home with an easy jog to finish.....

Learmonth wouldn’t have hung with gentle on the run and from memory gentle caught her on bike. She is quite a strong cyclist just that she often doesn’t make front swim pack whereas Learmonth is always off the front. Plus I’d take Birtwhistle over anyone else in Triathlon if it came down to the last run leg. Birtwhistle actually swims quite strong in races shorter than a sprint

what has this to do with the comm games or relays?

I would say Learmonth and Gentle are fairly equal on the bike, Learmonth is just a stronger swimmer and gets on Duffy to help get her up the road whereas Gentle is second or 3rd pack swim and rarely has anyone strong to work with, needing to do more than her share on the bike. In the run leg she would run rings around Learmonth over the shorter super sprint distance. Birtwhistle has been similar, except his swim is good over the super sprint distance, bikes very strong and if needed could smash out round the 4 min miles he was supposedly running as a teen.

Based on the last couple of seasons I think it's clear the Aussies and Brits are the favorites, but I wouldn't sleep on the French or Americans either.

Ah but a ton can and will change in almost 2.3 years from now. US's likely fastest MTR athlete is still developing (mcelroy) and Kanute for as much of a struggle he does in the individual race with the run, he can knock out a top 3-4 split almost every MTR he enters at that level. I would also put Kanute last, I just think he knows how to suffer and destroy himself in 17 mins and has both the swim and bike strength needed for the last leg to either break away or catch back up.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

When looking at age Mcelroy has less developing to do than the Aussie's, he is quite a bit older, about peaking age now, the Aussie's be starting to peak around Tokyo. Also In a TV interview showed here in Aus Birtwhistle actually said things were looking very good for them as they have strong relay athletes that weren't even on team. There does seem to be a young girl whose name gets thrown about here, had some good results this year already, I assume she is one he is referring to.

I'm not using age as a development timeline...time in the sport is far more relevant to Mcelroy's pathway than "age".

ETA: Age for Mcelroy is irrelevant at this point in his career when we are discussing racing Tokyo at 28 years of age.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

Well just saying the two young Aussie's still have a lot of developing to do too,