Jonny Brownlee: “I wish Supertri was around when I was at my best. I’d have beaten Alistair at it” – our triple Olympic medallist reflects and looks forwards to parenthood 

There are a handful of triathletes who need little in the way of an introduction. And even less so if your surname’s Brownlee. So we’ll keep it brief. 

We’ve been given a rare 15 minutes with Jonny Brownlee, whose career this writer has had the honour to follow up close, starting with his very first race on the pro circuit back in 2006, at the Salford Junior European Cup, where the then 16-year-old finished second. 

The multitude of medals, titles and headline-topping performances that he’s achieved in the 19 years since have made him a household name, a firm fan favourite and one of the sport’s benchmark-setters. 

Now 35, married to wife Fi, and a new dad to Freddie Barney Brownlee (born on 8 October, a few weeks after we speak to him), the three-time Olympic medallist has entered living legend status. 

We’re catching up with him a few days before he races the Jersey Supertri; the fast-paced race series that, despite becoming an unofficial prep school for the next generation of short-course stars, Jonny still can’t get enough of. [Jonny would finish 11th after a spill on the bike.] 

Learning lessons

When his screen flicks on, we find one of the world’s top triers sat in his car, just back from a pre-race haircut. There’s time for a quick “Ey up!” and then we’re off… 

220: What are the three most important life/career lessons that you’ve learnt over the last 20 years that you will pass on to your son? 

JB: Oh, that’s a good question. The big one is to enjoy it and don’t lose focus of why you enjoy it. Secondly, be patient, you will improve. And I think the third one is take other people on the journey with you – training partners, coaches, whoever. 

220: I’m going to predict that racing still gives you the biggest high, but what do your other roles as a coach and mentor give you? 

JB: Yeah, racing definitely still gives me the biggest high. But I really enjoy helping other people, and seeing those guys though Brownlee Fitness reach their goals and achieve something that they never thought they could.

And then the [Brownlee] Foundation, well I could talk about this for hours. But there’s no better feeling than seeing those kids cross the finish line with a massive smile on their face. 

A sea change

220: When did you first start to notice that podiums were harder to come by? 

JB: It was pretty much after Cozumel [the WTCS Grand Final, 2016, where Jonny, who had been leading, bonked spectacularly and was swept up by brother Alistair before being unceremoniously pushed across the line to finish second]. 

Coming back from that, it was like, ‘okay, this is a bit harder than it was before’. And whether that was Cozumel related, I still think it was, but mentally I had to reset a little bit and go, ‘right, maybe you have to race a bit smarter, maybe you have to target races that are going to suit you rather than doing everything. 

And also when you do podium, appreciate it more, and realise what a big deal it is’. 

220: What kind of racing goals are you going into the events with now? 

JB: Firstly, I want to enjoy it. In Supertri races I want to prove to myself that I can still be competitive and a positive addition to the Brownlee Racing team. I don’t want to be there just as a mentor, I want to actually be a good point scorer. 

The next crop

220: Who should we be keeping an eye on to carry the torch for Team GB in the near future?

JB: Olly Conway is a great athlete, he’s got a great engine. I see the way he uses his head, he’s just got it. 

220: How are you finding racing Supertri alongside the next generation? 

JB: Sometimes it can be a little bit daunting when they tell me when they were born and I realise I was already racing internationally by then. 

But then you’ve got [Belgium’s] Jolien Vermeylen, who won the Toronto supertri round, and she told me she only started triathlon because she read our book [Swim, Bike, Run: Our Triathlon Story], which is very nice to hear. 

And [British junior] Marcus Dey the other day was like, “I just want to say, it’s absolutely amazing to race alongside you. You’re my hero”. I don’t always know what to say in that situation, but it’s obviously nice. 

220: What, if anything, do you wish was around at the height of your racing career that today’s generation of athletes have available to them? 

JB: I wish that Supertri was around when I was at my best. I think I would have been hard to beat. I’d have beaten Alistair at it, most importantly. 

Memory lane

220: You’ve been posting a lot of nostalgic content on your Instagram feed lately. What’s put you in a reflective mood? 

JB: I’m realising that this doesn’t last forever. I started writing a talk for one of our sponsors, and my dad sent me a load of old pictures which all had a nice story to them. 

I haven’t done a good job of looking back at the journey and appreciating those times and the people I met along the way. What I’m thinking more about now is what I want to do going forward. I’d like to be more involved with Brownlee Fitness and the Foundation. 

But I’d like to be involved in the sport more directly, coaching and mentoring young athletes coming through, whether that’s through Brownlee Racing or the [British Triathlon] federation, who knows. 

Cozumel catastrophe

220: Not including the Olympics, which races stand out for you in your career and why? 

JB: One was when I won in Edmonton in 2019. I hadn’t won for a while so that made me believe that I can still do this and I can go on to be competitive in Tokyo [Olympics, 2021]. 

And Cozumel is a strange one because for me it’s a disappointment because I lost the world title, but at the same time it had one of the biggest impacts on the sport. 

And there’s the first Leeds World Series in 2016. Literally a dream come true, from doing triathlon at school when no one knew what a triathlon was to racing a World Series in my hometown. And coming into the city centre with me and Alistair on the front of the bike was absolutely incredible. 

Looking forwards

220: What do you want your legacy to be? 

JB: In simple terms, I want to be someone who left the sport in a better place than when they found it. And someone who absolutely gave their best – because I don’t believe that I’m the most talented athlete out there. 

I’ve just dedicated my life to the sport, and through hard work I’ve achieved what I’ve achieved – who always turned up with a smile on their face, and taught others to enjoy the sport. 

That’s why I’m here still doing it now, because I genuinely enjoy what I do and as soon as I stop enjoying it then I’ll stop competing. 

220: Have you scheduled in some paternity leave? 

JB: Well all being well I’m going to race Supertri Toulouse [5 October, where Jonny finished ninth; baby Brownlee arrived on 8 October – Jonny still had his race numbers on at the hospital]. 

But I’ve dedicated the last 20 years of my life to sport, so now is the time to definitely be at home and do what I can to support Fi and be there as much as possible. 

I’m absolutely terrible with a lack of sleep, so I’m really worried about that part already. 

And I’m a bit worried about the fact that I’ve spent 20 years doing what I want, when I want, so that’s gonna be very different. But at the same time I’m very excited, it’s going to be an amazing change. 

Uncle Alistair

220: What kind of uncle do you think Alistair will make? 

JB: Good question. At the moment, Alistair’s not so interested in babies, so we will have to see whether that’ll change. But I think if he’s anything like he is with Pip [Jonny and Fi’s cocker spaniel], I don’t think he’ll be the warmest uncle! 

I think he’ll like the practical stuff as the baby gets older, so going out on bike rides or runs, things like that. 

He’s also not the best for presents, so I can’t see him buying the best presents in the world, ’cause he’s not bought me many good presents. 

220: What if your son decides he doesn’t like sports? 

JB: Obviously I’ll be happy for my son to do whatever he wants as long as it makes him happy. But I would like him to do some kind of sport because I know how good it’s been for me.

It’d be great if we could have a common interest, but he’s not allowed to drop me too early, so at least if he doesn’t do a lot of sport I’ll be able to drop him for most of his life until I get a lot older.

Jonny’s winter training tips 

Even an Olympic medallist struggles to find motivation to train in the winter. But these six pointers help Jonny with his off-season sessions.

1. My big philosophy is to make it as easy as possible, from thinking about going out training to getting out on the bike, so be organised. For example, make sure your gloves are in the right place, your bike’s clean and ready to go, it hasn’t got a puncture. My bike’s all on the wall in the garage, so I can just pick it up and go. Because it doesn’t matter how motivated you are, if you set off out of the door and the lights don’t work or you’ve got a puncture, you won’t be bothered anymore. So make that as easy as possible. 
2. Try and do as much as you can with other people, so all you’ve got to think about at the start is getting to the meeting point rather than doing the session itself. That way you’re not thinking about riding for four hours, and then the rest of it takes care of itself. 
3. Don’t set targets that are ridiculously ambitious. If it’s cold, wet and snowing don’t think you’re going to go out and do a six-hour ride, do something achievable. 
4. Vary the training, because it’s not good doing the same thing the whole time. If you have multiple bikes, swap them out. Do some mountain biking. 
5. Have a goal. It could be a short-term goal, so for example in a week’s time you could do a parkrun. Or a long-term goal could be an Ironman next summer. 
6. If a session’s really daunting, I’ll plan in something to look forward to afterwards, like going for a nice meal or something that I enjoy doing when I get home

The Brownlee legacy

As well as their notable race-day performances, the Brownlees’ impressive legacy lives on in their three eponymous enterprises… 

Brownlee Racing 

The Brownlee Racing team was founded by the Brownlee brothers in 2024 and launched as a platform to drive the sport forward and help cultivate the next generation of elite British triathlon talent. The team, which is managed by four-time world champion Tim Don, competes in the four-team Supertri League, and the current roster includes Jonny, Alex Yee, Marcus Dey, Oliver Conway, Brandan Pye, Olivia Mathias, Jess Fullagar, Tilly Anema and Jolien Vermeylen. 

The Brownlee Foundation 

A registered charity founded by Alistair and Jonny in 2014, which aims to inspire children to become physically active by providing free, fun, and non-competitive mini-triathlon events. The foundation’s mission is to encourage children of all backgrounds to enjoy sport, lead healthy lifestyles, and experience the opportunities that come from being active. 

Brownlee Fitness 

Alistair and Jonny’s training platform for all levels of endurance athletes, providing structured, personalised training plans. The platform also fosters a supportive community and offers direct coach communication (Jonny is head coach), group sessions, and motivational support.