That’s what I was thinking! Its been great being entertained by him. I was literally just looking at his entire career results on the world triathlon website after he finished in Dubai this weekend. I am not sure why I did that “review”. That entire stretch from 2009 to 2016 was out of this world like an alien joined triathlon.
On top of all of this Kipchoge also retired this year. I went to watch him at the Paris Olympic marathon and waited and waited at the 39km point and he never arrived!!!
He just retired from the Olympics. We may still get lucky enough to see another great performance from him.
So I never imagined this race, maybe someone will correct me but im sure he very predictably got injured shortly afterwards, he was only 3 secs behind Luis, and Luis was on absolute fire that year!
I see him lining up at Unbound at some point. Maybe even 2025.
I missed Ali in his prime, but so glad I got to see him string together one more great performance in Dubai.
Was a bit gutted when I saw the news this morning. I got interested in Triathlon because of Ali and Jonny. Watching those two race together was something else.
I thought this was a given.
Shame he’s retired but understandable.
Same here, I’d been interested in tri when younger but the 2012 Olympics kicked me off and my first tri was a year later.
Well, I’ve got to say, his retirement announcement took me by surprise, coming as it did, right after his T100 podium. I guess he wanted to go out on one last good race.
Will be missed. Such a complete triathlete, across all the disciplines.
Originally published at: Alistair Brownlee Calls it a Career - Slowtwitch News
Two-time Olympic gold medalist Alistair Brownlee has announced his retirement from pro triathlon racing after an 18-year career that included two Olympic gold medals and an impressive 38 wins and 54 podium finishes in his 90 World Triathlon starts. Brownlee showed glimpses of his incredible talent during his long-course career, too, including a pair of runner-up finishes at the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships in 2018 and 2019 along with three full-distance titles, but was hampered by numerous injuries since he made the move in 2017.
“Ultimately, it just feels really right,” Brownlee said. “I know it is a kind of a wishy washy kind of thing to say, but it does and I’m really happy with it. It’s a combination of…I have been doing it for a long time and there’s so many other things in sport I want to be able to do. I want to be able to do all kinds of endurance challenges. I want to stay fit and healthy and be part of sport, hopefully into my old age. And I’m definitely aware, you know, putting the miles on the clock and wearing things down. So I want to retire fit and healthy and not be forced to retire by injury and illness or whatever.”
“It has got more difficult for me,” Brownlee continued. “I can’t do anywhere near the training that I used to be able to do. So I also found it hard at times being on the start line, knowing that I’m not prepared to the level that I’d like to be. And I’m older. I’m 36. I’ve done it for a long time and there’s a lot of other things I want to do with my life.”
In 2022 Brownlee was appointed to the IOC Athlete’s commission. He’s also been an avid and active supporter of the Professional Triathletes Organisation – he was a member of the PTO Athlete Board and was one of the contracted athletes for this year’s T100 Triathlon World Tour. After a season full of struggles, he finished third at the final race in the series in Dubai, and fifth overall in the standings.
After winning the world junior title in 2006, it wasn’t long before Brownlee surged on to the elite triathlon scene. In 2008 he won the U23 world title and finished 12th in his first Olympics. In 2009 he was unbeaten at WTS races and won the elite world title. He would take another world title in 2011, and then thrilled the nation with a gold-medal performance at the London Olympics. He would take two gold medals at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in the individual and mixed relay events and in 2016 he defended his Olympic title in Rio.
A few weeks after his gold-medal performance, Brownlee would be part of the infamous finish with his brother Jonny at the world championship final in Cozumel. Trying to help his brother take the world title with a win at the race in Cozumel, Brownlee ended up stopping to help carry an exhausted Jonathan across the finish line.
In 2017 Brownlee made his long-distance debut with a pair of half-distance wins in Gran Canaria and IRONMAN 70.3 St. George. The following year he finished second in an epic 70.3 worlds behind Jan Frodeno and ahead of Javier Gomez. In 2019 he won Ironman Ireland (the swim was cancelled), finished second again at the 70.3 worlds in Nice, struggled to a 21st-place finish in Kona and then rounded out the year with a huge win at IRONMAN Western Australia. He would take one more IRONMAN win in Sweden in 2022. Much of the last few years of his career he was plagued with injuries and sickness.
Alistair and Jonathan founded the Brownlee Foundation in 2014 “to inspire children to get active and encourage regular participation in sport.” Alistair says he wants “to continue to work on a grow (the foundation) over the next ten years with a bit more time and energy to do it.”
“I really believe in the importance of sport in everyone’s life,” Alistair told the PTO. “It was absolutely crucial to my life. I believe young children need to discover if they have a passion for it. As early as possible and then be engaged in sport. And I think triathlon is an amazing vessel to engage people across the three sports. And that’s very much what we try and do with the Foundation. And I’d like to do a lot more of that in the future.”
In addition to his work with the foundation, Brownlee says he’ll be involved with “a couple of companies … that are going to be launching over the next few months.” Despite what appears to be a busy schedule, he intends to remain fit and active.
“I’ve got a list of events that I wanted to do, whether that’s more gravel racing, ultrarunning, endurance bike packing races, mountain bike stuff, anything that’s kind of challenging,” he said. “Maybe some of the extreme triathlons, more challenge and completion things. So staying fit to do that, and I’m looking forward to that very much. Stay involved in triathlon. I really enjoy the work I do with the IOC and trying to guide sports into a new area and I think that’s an important thing to do.”
Can remember the Alistair weakness is sprint distance doing the rounds (his bro was better)
Easily the most unlikeable triathlon great of all time. Constant temper tantrums in his bike pack ITU days and dunking other athletes in the swim.
When he arrived in long course, he quickly distanced himself from the other competitors with his cold demeanor causing most pros to flat out dislike the guy. There was also the infamous finish line shove that he gave Jan after he won his last title.
Ali showed how soft he was the last few years with his DNF rate, pulling the pin on races when things became tough in the heat.
With his triathlon resume it’s easy to say he will be missed but for those in the pro field he truly will not be missed.
Quality contribution: well up to your normal standard.
There was also the infamous finish line shove that he gave Jonny after he won his second Olympic title.
Congrats to a legend.
I still think the funniest AB story was told by Tommy Zaferes (husband to KZ) on the TRS podcast. He talked about how aggressive he was at the front of races…
Tommy- sitting at back of front pack early on the bike, being pulled by AB (duh)
AB- rolls to the back looks at TZ “pull or your out”
Tommy- looks at AB knowing he isn’t going to pull…not cus he doesn’t want to or wont…because he can’t actually rotate through to the front and take a pull cus the pace is too hot
AB- “I told you Tommy”…and proceeds to drop Tommy…
TZ- I wasn’t mad, I was amazed that not only did he say he would drop me, but that the then went to the front accelerated even harder and actually dropped me…
AB led pelotons were in for a wild ass ride everytime he was at the front and “wanker” fueled commentary from AB…
2nd best story- The year he, an aussie and I believe a French get a 3 man breakaway I think at either the 1st Leeds or the last London WTCS. AB is pissed younger bro JB didn’t make it…so he tells the front pack boys “I’ll be back in a second”…drops himself yells at JB to get on his wheels, pulls JB up to the front while dropping Gomez off JB’s wheel…5 mins later the front group now was a group of 4…just legendary stuff.
Great anecdotes, Brooks!
@ironmandad has written an excellent article for the front page:
I dont really think you are talking from personal experience… I cant think of a single quality professional triathlete that would think this about him. And I know ALL of them.
I was gonna write something about Alistair’s career, but the first part of Javier’s tribute just does it (up to ‘I have great memories…’).
He changed the game! He’s the reason Macca retired, he’s the reason Frodeno moved to long distance and had this amazing career there.
Those are great anecdotes and memories, Brooks. Another one would be one of the Leeds WTCS races, when they would ride 10k into town before doing laps around the city centre. Ali and Jonny swim front pack as usual, then drop everyone on the first hill coming out of T2, only for the pack to reel them in (almost) on the long flat straight into town. Jonny has all but given up staying ahead of the pack at this point (his recollection of what happened) but Alistair says no, refuses to give up, and they attack again and extend the gap on the technical loops in town only to finish with a couple minutes ahead to start the run.
