Why Brownlee made others 'dream and believe'

Teachers, rivals and successors have shared how triathlete Alistair Brownlee inspired them following his retirement from the sport aged 36.

The elder Brownlee brother won 22 World Series races during his 18-year career, as well as gold medals at the London and Rio Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

At the University of Leeds Brownlee Centre, the first purpose-built triathlon training centre in the UK, users of the facility told the BBC about the legacy he has created.

Bradley Clover, head of triathlon at the University of Leeds, said Brownlee had been a “wayfinder” for the sport.

He said: “Triathlon in general has a lot to owe to Alistair.

"He raced from the front, raced aggressively, inspired a lot of people and did it really impressively all the way along.

“Success breeds success. People want to come to Leeds to be part of something that has bred world champions, future world champions and Olympic medallists.

“A lot of the people come here to Leeds because of Alistair.”

The Olympic champion always retained the city where he grew up as his main training base, living in the village of Bramhope so he could use the university's sports facilities and cycling routes in the Yorkshire Dales.

One of those who followed in Brownlee's footsteps is Canadian hopeful Miguel Alvarez, 21, who has moved from Ottawa.

He said the Leeds programme was known around the world for developing top-class triathletes.

“If it wasn’t for Alistair and (younger brother) Jonny I wouldn’t be here right now.

“They’re the best triathletes triathlon has ever had. It’s known around the world, in Canada everyone looks up to Ali and Jonny.”

Adam Grice, 38, trains at the centre while studying for a PhD at the University of Leeds.

He began his athletics career alongside Brownlee and remembers him as a 17-year-old schoolboy.

“I met Alistair for the first time at the national cross country championships in London. I was 20 and he must have been 17 or 18.

“It wasn’t until I was scanning the results at the end and I was like, 'Who is this person who has come fourth from Bradford Grammar School?'

“I ended up training with him from 2008 to 2012.

“As an individual athlete his results speak for themselves. But the sport as a whole, both locally, nationally and internationally, has grown tremendously and he’s been part of the legacy.”

Growing up, Brownlee relied on the expertise and equipment available at Triangle Triathlon, a specialist shop in Guiseley not far from his childhood home in Horsforth.

It was run by Adam Nevins, who died in a road accident in April 2023, but is now managed by ex-triathlete Elliot Smales.

Mr Smales, 30, raced professionally for five years, occasionally coming up against Brownlee.

“The late Adam Nevins, who used to own and run the store, was a big part of Alistair and Jonny’s lives as they grew up, providing them with kit and bikes and going out and doing mechanics for them.

“So, it’s nice to carry on that side of the shop.”

It was Brownlee's success at the London 2012 Olympics that inspired Mr Smales to pick up the sport.

“He’s been a great inspiration to everyone. I had the pleasure of racing him a couple of times.

“A pivotal moment in my career was a year where I podiumed and Alistair won the race and I was second.

"It makes you dream and believe. You look up to someone who is the best in the sport and if you’re right next to them, stood there on the podium, it’s ‘right so what else is possible’.

“I think he’s probably made a lot of people go off and chase dreams having seen what he’s done.”

At Bradford Grammar School, which Brownlee attended from the ages of 11 to 18, teachers still remember him as focused, energetic and competitive.

He was also academically successful, winning a place at the University of Cambridge to read medicine before dropping out to focus on triathlon and switching to a sports science course at Leeds.

PE teacher Matt Wilde described him as “a legend of Bradford Grammar School”.

He said: “His talent was obvious.

"Once he moved into the senior school he was winning Bradford Schools races, he was swimming with the City of Bradford club, and he was a member of Bingley Harriers.

“So he was competing, he was winning, and that got recognised with county honours with Yorkshire.

"His legacy remains an inspiration for students, and he still visits the school for special events. He took time to speak to the kids, and it shows the current pupils what you can achieve at any school.

"If you’re focused, determined, intelligent you’ve got a chance and Alistair took his chance.”

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