Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee: Our Olympic dream is to win a triathlon gold medal together

By Matt Lawton for the Daily Mail
Updated: 11:43 EST, 23 December 2010

EXCLUSIVE

As landlord and tenant, there is a danger Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee could seriously fall out between now and the London Olympics — partly because Jonathan too often leaves his room untidy but mainly because he refuses to pay Alistair rent.

‘I can’t face it,’ says Jonathan. ‘He’s my brother.’

But, as well as sharing a house in West Yorkshire, they share a dream related to their astonishing talent for triathlon. It is a dream that would create an extraordinary piece of Olympic history.

With the greatest respect to their rivals and the International Olympic Committee, the Brownlees would love nothing more than to break the winning tape together in Hyde Park in the summer of 2012.

‘I might just do ’im on the line with a quick dip,’ says Jonathan, lunging forward in his seat. ‘But, no, that would be amazing. That is the dream. To cross the line together.’

Alistair agrees. ‘We’d obviously have to find ourselves in front first,’ he says with a smile. ‘That might not be possible because we’ll be competing against the best guys in the world. Olympic and world champions.

Olympic dream: Jonathan (left) and Alistair Brownlee are gunning for glory in 2012

‘First and foremost you’re trying to win the race. The gold medal is what we are all devoting our lives to. But if it was possible I’d be up for doing that. We live together, train together, we’re brothers. We’ve worked for it together.’

The IOC might not let it happen, instead choosing to employ modern technology to separate them and hand one of them gold and one silver. ‘I don’t know how they would react,’ says Jonathan.

‘I don’t even know if you can have an Olympic tie. But, as Alistair says, if other athletes are there then we will just have to race anyway.’

But the dream illustrates how close they are as siblings and in terms of athletic ability. While Jonathan, at 20, is two years Alistair’s junior and not quite as strong, they could be extremely well matched come the Olympics.

Even now, they can reflect on a remarkable degree of success. Alistair was crowned world champion in 2009 and, had it not been for injury and illness, might well have successfully defended his title this year. He still won the World Championship Series Grand Final in Budapest in September, then watched his younger brother secure the world Under 23 title two hours later.

Jonathan won his race by 27 seconds, albeit in a time two minutes slower than Alistair. That said, Jonathan had already demonstrated his considerable pedigree by finishing second to Javier Gomez, this year’s world champion, in
Hyde Park in July, when Olympic champion Jan Frodeno was third.

As a 40-year-old who probably drinks more alcohol in an hour than the Brownlees will consume in a year, I’m not exactly in their class as a triathlete. But they decided to have an ‘easy day’ and let me join them for a run as well as a gentle spin on the bike.

Golden path: Jonathan (left) and Alistair take Lawton (centre) for a country stroll

Talking to them while out on the road, and over the spot of lunch we enjoyed between the two sessions, it soon becomes apparent that they were born for their sport.

The sons of two doctors, GP mum Catheryne represented Wales as a swimmer in her youth while dad Keith — a paediatrician specialising in cystic fibrosis — was a county cross country runner.

‘We were swimming for our club at the age of six or seven,’ says Alistair. ‘As a family we were always active. Lots of walking, lots of running as well as riding bikes with dad.’

Jonathan was the more successful swimmer, winning the Yorkshire championships at backstroke while Alistair
was taking medals at county level in the freestyle but never bagging a title.

‘I was good at swimming until everyone started to grow,’ says Jonathan. ‘The best swimmers are really tall with great big shoulders and that just isn’t us. But then a big powerful swimmer isn’t going to be so good on the bike and the run.’

As a runner, Alistair is exceptional. In 2006 he not only secured the world junior title as a triathlete but won the English schools cross country championships, and now he would be ranked among the best cross country runners in the country.

Only last year he competed for his country in the European Under 23 Cross Country Championships. It is that ability to run a sub 30-minute 10km after swimming 1500m in a lake and racing a bike for 40km that sets him apart, with
most experts agreeing that, if the older Brownlee is fit and in contention at the end of the bike section, there really is not anyone in the world who can live with him.

For both these men, however, it is about more than talent. It is about serious graft and a training schedule that would make a professional footballer wince.

Most footballers train around 12 hours a week. A runner who completes 120 miles a week would train for much the same amount of time. With three disciplines to prepare for, the Brownlees train for 30 hours a week.

Other than their studies there is not a great deal of time for much else. Jonathan is working towards a history degree at Leeds University while Alistair dropped out after a term of medicine at Cambridge then graduated in sports science and physiology at Leeds Metropolitan University and is working towards a masters in finance.

Saddled up: Lawton (centre) rides with the Brownlee brothers

They both have an eye for the ladies but a steady relationship, they admit, is something they would struggle to accommodate given their devotion to their sport.

Even when they were at Bradford Grammar, Alistair says, they would cycle to and from school, run during their lunch break then swim in the evening. Quite how Alistair also secured a place at Cambridge is nothing short of remarkable.

‘We have made sacrifices,’ says Alistair. ‘But I don’t think we feel like we’re missing out. It’s been part of our lives for so long, all our friends are into the same sort of thing. They’re the people we train with and socialise with.

‘We don’t have girlfriends at the moment because there’s not much point in having a girlfriend you’re not going to see. As well as the training there’s a fair bit of travelling involved with the sport.’

As brothers, they really do pretty much everything together. ‘If we go out for dinner or to the cinema we normally go together,’ says Jonathan.

‘That’s right,’ says Alistair. ‘We spend a massive amount of time with each other. Much more time than with anyone else.’

But there must be a bit of tension. The old sibling rivalry. I mention the Milibands and wonder how it might affect their relationship if little brother beat big brother on a regular basis.

‘We get asked that a lot,’ says Alistair. ‘But I don’t think we’ve ever known any different. Since we were tiny we’ve been swimming, running and riding bikes.’

Sibling rivals: Alistair (right) and Jonathan race in London

Jonathan says Alistair ribs him about his dislike for alcohol. ‘He takes the mickey out of me all the time but I just can’t stand the stuff,’ he says. So when I tell him that Tottenham footballer Gareth Bale also cannot cope with the taste he is delighted. ‘Really?’ he says. ‘That’s good to know. I’m really pleased about that.’

Are they best friends? ‘I’m not sure if I have a best mate,’ says Jonathan. ‘I have a few best mates. Al’s a good friend but I think it’s good to have best mates outside your family.’ Alistair agrees. ‘I’m the same really,’ he says.

So do they row? ‘Only when he’s an idiot,’ says Alistair. ‘When you’re tired the smallest things can irritate you,’ Jonathan adds. ‘Alistair is always running late. I always have to get him up to go swimming. I’m his alarm clock basically. He doesn’t move until I’ve knocked on the door. If it wasn’t for me he wouldn’t be on time for anything.’

What about the rent? ‘I charge him but he doesn’t pay it,’ says Alistair. ‘I pay it in other ways,’ protests Jonathan. ‘Things like washing up.’ ‘Pull the other one!’ says Alistair. ‘We’ve got a dishwasher.’ ‘I buy the TV licence,’ says
Jonathan. ‘I shouldn’t have to pay rent anyway! I can’t face it. My mum and dad say I shouldn’t.’

But here is the thing. Alistair bought the house with prize money and Jonathan is now in a position to do the same. Only Jonathan does not plan to live in his house. He would prefer to rent it to friends and continue to live with Alistair.

‘That’s fine by me,’ says Alistair. ‘He’s a good person to live with most of the time. He just needs to tidy his room a bit more.’

The IOC should review their rules.

Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee are BT Ambassadors. BT is an official partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Visit: www.bt.com/london2012