Former Olympic champion Jonny Brownlee retires

Six-time world champion and Olympic medalist Jonny Brownlee has announced his retirement from professional sport at the age of 36. Brownlee won Olympic bronze in London 2012, silver in Rio 2016, and gold in the mixed relay at Tokyo 2020. He is also a six-time world champion and won mixed team relay gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Brownlee's brother Alistair, a double Olympic champion, retired at the age of 36 in 2024.

Brownlee told BBC Sport that he has been contemplating his retirement for some time. He expressed pride in achieving more than he ever thought possible, stating that the team fully committed to winning Olympic medals and delivering their best performance. Now, he believes he cannot achieve that level of performance anymore.

The birth of his son Freddie 10 months ago influenced his decision, as he cannot maintain the same level of commitment to professional sport due to his new priorities. Brownlee mentioned that missing a training session would be unthinkable now, as he must prioritize his family and his son's well-being.

Brownlee fondly recalls moments from his glittering career, including his Olympic bronze in London 2012 and the World Series Triathlon event held in his hometown of Leeds in 2016. He credits his brother Alistair for helping him over the line in the 2016 Mexico City World Series Triathlon race, which was a pivotal moment that he still regrets being remembered for.

Despite his retirement, Brownlee remains proud of his achievements and the impact he has made on the sport. He claims that winning the Olympic gold in Tokyo 2020 was the moment he was finally known as Jonny Brownlee, rather than being remembered as Alistair's shadow. Brownlee stated that he has committed everything and used his last bits of energy to secure that gold medal, which he believes makes him feel complete.