Brownlee Brothers Use Sibling Rivalry as Catalyst for Success

When it comes to sibling rivalry in sport there are very few cases where family members compete against each other on a regular basis, but for Jonathan and Alistair Brownlee it is almost an everyday occurrence.

Whether sitting at home playing board games or trying their hand at badminton in the back garden, the two brothers enjoy nothing more than getting their competitive juices flowing.

“The rivalry comes out a lot more when we are at home,” explains younger brother Jonathan who shares a house in Yorkshire with Alistair. “We always have little fallouts over crazy golf and when we are playing table tennis, but when it comes to competing in the triathlon we are just able to switch off from each other.

“We are not just racing each other and I never try to beat Alistair and he is the same with me. Growing up together we have learnt that we can work together and not against each other.”

This was proven at the European Championships when Alistair picked up a puncture and Jonathan slowed the pace of the leading pack in order to allow his brother to catch up.

However, once it came down to the 10-kilometre run there was little room for gratitude and Alistair soon outpaced his younger brother to win the title for the second successive season.

That one-two finish is one of many this season, but it is their recent success in Beijing that makes them the men to beat at next years Olympics. Alistair, the elder brother by years secured the ITU Triathlon World Championship title for the second time and Jonathan, 21, was proudly standing alongside him on the podium after finishing the season in second place.

So with Alistair firmly the man to beat, does Jonathan feel there is further room for improvement? “I am definitely still improving as last year was my first year as a senior. It was a huge step up and I set myself a target to qualify for the Olympics and I managed to do that so it’s been a good season.”

The Brownlee brothers have joined an elite group of athletes who have already earned their place in Team GB and despite many athletes dreaming of achieving Olympic gold, the pair are currently more concerned with making the most of their down time.

“It’s a massive opportunity to compete in front of a home crowd and it will be amazing, but it’s been a long season and we’re just looking forward to getting some rest,” admits Jonathan, who is currently studying history at Leeds Metropolitan University whilst also training full-time. “Triathlon training is incredibly tough so we just enjoy doing normal things like watching films and reading books.”

Then there is Jonathon’s true passion and the one place that he his real competitive streak comes out. “I love playing a bit of FIFA but there is no competition with Alistair. To be fair he doesn’t really play computer games as he is just rubbish.”

The pair will have to make the most of the next few months when they get a short break from their gruelling schedule of 35 hours of training a week. The dedication and fitness required to complete the 1.5km swim, 40km bike ride and 10km run is quite extraordinary.

The fact that the pair can both complete this rigorous discipline in less than two hours is testament to the training they regularly endure. However, Alistair admits that training alongside his younger brother helps push him.

“We have been training together for as long as I can remember and we definitely help motivate each other,” explains Alistair, who was at Hyde Park to launch Record Breakers - BT's London 2012 Olympic Games ticket giveaway. “We are there to push each other on and is certainly helps with the psychological aspect, as training alone really can be mentally tough.”

There is certainly a great deal of expectation on the duo to deliver in London and the pair are already feeling confident after performing superbly well at the test event in Hyde Park earlier this summer.

The London triathlon drew massive crowds and once again outlined why British fans should be feeling confident of Olympic glory. A superb weekend of action saw Alistair claim first place, Jonathon third and fellow British athlete Helen Jenkins won the women’s race to prove that Great Britain will certainly be a force in 2012.

While the immediate focus for both men is the impending Olympic Games, it is clear that these are two men who enjoy pushing their bodies to the limit. Don’t be fooled by their slight build and youthful features, the Brownlee’s are extreme athletes.

Perhaps a natural progression for the pair would be to try the excruciating challenge that is the Ironman Triathlon. The endurance race tests every fibre of the body and provides a punishing mental battle to merely finish the 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride and 26.2 mile run.

“I would love to try one in the future,” Jonathan answers enthusiastically. “But for now I am concentrating on triathlon, so maybe when I am in my thirties. They say you don’t reach your peak until your late twenties so I still have a long career ahead of me.”

The solidarity between the pair is clear to see and it is easy to imagine the brothers dominating the sport for years to come as they continue to push each other and strive for perfection. They are already amongst the favourites to medal at the Olympics and should they maintain their desire to constantly improve then even the demands of an Ironman triathlon would hold no fear for the remarkable duo.

"BT launch Record Breakers with the help of Daley Thompson, the Brownlee Brothers and Ben Ainslie. BT residential customers have the chance to win tickets to the London 2012 Olympic Games using their BT home phone, BT Wi-fi and BT Vision to match existing Olympic or Paralympic records – bt.com/recordbreakers"

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