Three medals for GB at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

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Debut medals for Alex Yee, Georgia Taylor-Brown and Jess Learmonth were in the individual and mixed relay races respectively, whilst three-time Olympian Jonny Brownlee completed his medal collection with mixed relay gold.

Jump to: Men’s Individual | Women’s Individual | Mixed Relay

Team GB’s triathletes return from Japan with three medals added to the tally after Alex Yee and Georgia Taylor-Brown claimed silver in the individual races followed by a stunning team performance in the Olympic debut of mixed relay triathlon that secured gold for Great Britain.

Men’s Individual Race

Alex Yee and Jonny Brownlee set off in the men’s individual race with Brownlee starting strong in the water and exiting the 1,500m swim amongst the race leaders. During the 40km cycle, Yee worked tirelessly as part of the chase pack, eventually catching the lead group.

With the race poised for a tense run, the lead group gradually shrunk in size as athletes dropped off the pace leaving Brownlee, Yee, Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR) and Hayden Wilde (NZL) to battle for the podium. Following a strong kick from the Norwegian, Blummenfelt took the tape before Yee crossed the line to take silver on his Olympic debut. Wilde rounded out the podium and Brownlee finished in 5th place.

Following the race, Yee said: “It hasn’t really sunk in quite yet, it doesn’t feel real like it’s me yet. I still feel like a normal boy from south east London. I hope I can serve as inspiration to people to show this is possible. I’m not anything special, I just really enjoy sport and have been really lucky.”

FULL REPORT

Women’s Individual Race

Two more Olympic debutants pulled on the Team GB trisuit in the women’s race as Georgia Taylor-Brown and Jess Learmonth took to the start line in Odaiba Bay alongside Rio bronze medallist Vicky Holland.

Learmonth led a commanding swim, exiting the water first followed by her compatriots with Taylor-Brown joining the leaders and Holland in the chase pack.

The technical bike course encompassing Odaiba Marine Park saw Taylor-Brown fall victim to a puncture as she completed the last kilometre of the cycle with a flat tyre. Through the four laps of the run Taylor-Brown dug deep, moving past Katie Zaferes (USA) with 2.5km to go.

Flora Duffy (BER) took the tape, Taylor-Brown secured silver to become Great Britain’s most successful female triathlete at an Olympic Games and Zaferes took bronze.

Learmonth crossed the line in 9th place whilst Holland finished in 13th.

Speaking after the race, Taylor-Brown said: “I wasn’t happy when I saw the weather, but I had a really good swim, and the wet favoured a small group, which we got [on the bike]. After the puncture, the run was just panic mode which I think cost me in the latter half, but it paid off. To be honest, the lead up hasn’t been great, but I was just happy with a top five today.”

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Mixed Relay Race

The final swim, bike, run of the Games saw a new format enter the Olympics as mixed relay triathlon offered a third medal for nations that qualified a minimum of two men and two women.

With a team of Learmonth, Brownlee, Taylor-Brown and Yee, Great Britain set out with strong medal intentions, and Learmonth’s impressive initial swim, bike, run was strengthened by Brownlee’s surge to put Taylor-Brown into the lead before she also raced strongly and handed over a 21 second advantage to Yee.

Yee faced fierce competition in Morgan Pearson (USA) and Vincent Luis (FRA) as the Frenchman pushed hard on the bike to catch Yee. The Brit knew that the gold medal would be decided over the 2km run. Leaving transition five seconds ahead after an incredible dismount, Yee ran clear of his competitors to take the tape for Great Britain and celebrate with his teammates at the finish.

Jonny Brownlee reflected on the race that earned him his first Olympic gold, saying: “It’s absolutely special, to do it with these guys [the team] it was amazing. Today, relays are about not making mistakes, being calm under pressure and I think we did all of that. From start to finish it, it was absolutely incredible.”

FULL REPORT

Great Britain will be in action once more at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Swim, bike, run begins on Friday 27 August at 10:30 BST as the men’s PTS4, women’s PTS2 and men’s and women’s PTVI races take place. Following that, Saturday 28 August at 10:30pm BST features men’s and women’s PTWC and men’s and women’s PST5 races.

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