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Home / Training / Team GB Triathlon: how they line up

Team GB Triathlon: how they line up

Will the Brownlees repeat their London 2012 triumph? Can the British girls break away and beat Jorgensen? We crunch the stats and asses their chances...

THE WOMEN

Vicky Holland

AGE 30

LIVES Leeds

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

1st, Cape Town WTS, 2015

1st, Edmonton WTS, 2015

3rd, Commonwealth Games, 2014

2016 SEASON TO DATE

3rd, Leeds WTS

6th, Cape Town WTS (Sprint)

VICKY’S STRENGTH

Her consistency since the last Olympics and the ability to win races.

VICKY’S WEAKNESS

Holland is strong across all disciplines but is she a world-beater in any?

VICKY’S MAIN RIVALS

Aside from her teammates, the leggy shadow of Jorgensen looms large.

OUR PREDICTION

Fifth. Holland has Olympic experience but we think she lacks the cutting-edge to reach the podium come 20 August.

Helen Jenkins

AGE 32

LIVES Bridgend, Wales

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2 x ITU World Champion (2008 & 2011)

2 x Olympian

2016 SEASON TO DATE

3rd, Cape Town WTS (Sprint)

1st, Gold Coast WTS

HELEN’S STRENGTH

Jenkins’ experience and tactical nous is the envy of her younger rivals.

HELEN’S WEAKNESS

Injuries since 2012 have limited Jenkins’ impact on the ITU circuit.

HELEN’S MAIN RIVALS

What of Nicola Spirig? She also has vast experience and bike/run prowess.

OUR PREDICTION

Bronze. We can see the same happening in Rio as in the Gold Coast… only this time for Jorgensen and Stanford to pip her at the line.

Non Stanford

AGE 27

LIVES Leeds

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2013 ITU World Champion

2012 U23 ITU World Champion

2016 SEASON TO DATE

9th, Leeds WTS

1st, Cape Town WTS (Sprint)

NON’S STRENGTH

The Welsh athlete is one of the few racers who can truly trouble Jorgensen on the run… and the American knows it. Stanford finished second in the Rio Test Event, with her 10km split only 20secs slower than Jorgensen’s.

NON’S WEAKNESS

Leeds was a rare off day for a usually consistent athlete but, after sitting out the 2014 season, Non has yet to return to the heady heights of her ITU world championship-winning form from 2013.

NON’S MAIN RIVALS

Jorgensen and her GB teammates. All three GB athletes will soon be training together and, while they’ll work together on the bike up to T2, it’ll be every woman for themselves once it comes down to crunch time on the 10km Rio run.

OUR PREDICTION

Silver. There’s no denying that the girl from Swansea can run… it’s just that Jorgensen can run faster. Saying that, if GB tactics play to perfection and Gwen is cut loose on the bike, it could be a sprint showdown for gold with Jenkins.

Non Stanford on Rio, training, and maintaining motivation…

THE MEN


Jonny Brownlee

AGE 26

LIVES Leeds

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2nd, Commonwealth Games, 2014

2012 ITU World Champion

3rd, Olympic Games, 2012

2016 SEASON TO DATE

2nd, Leeds WTS

2nd Cape Town WTS (Sprint)

2nd Stockholm WTS

3rd, Gold Coast WTS

JONNY’S STRENGTH

Jonny’s consistency across the swim, bike and run disciplines is unparalleled.

JONNY’S WEAKNESS

Lessing, Wellington, Ali Brownlee… the icons of Brit tri history are ruthless. Is affable Jonny merciless enough?

JONNY’S MAIN RIVALS

His head-to-head ITU record is heavily stacked in favour of Alistair.

OUR PREDICTION

Second. The undulating bike course plays into the Brownlees’ hands.

Alistair Brownlee

AGE 28

LIVES Leeds

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

1st, Commonwealth Games, 2014

2012 Olympic Champion

2 x ITU World Champion (2009 & 2011)

2016 SEASON TO DATE

1st, Stockholm WTS

1st, Leeds WTS

36th, Gold Coast WTS

ALISTAIR’S STRENGTH

See his Leeds performance. On home soil, this race captured everything – speed, aggression, dominance and strength across all three disciplines – that’s made Alistair the most gifted ITU triathlete in history. When fit, the senior Brownlee is all-but-unbeatable.

ALISTAIR’S WEAKNESS

Ali’s Achilles heel is his injury record (sometimes his actual Achilles heel), which often sees him miss the early races of the season after a winter injury picked up on the Yorkshire fells (or by dodging a dog in 2015).

ALISTAIR’S MAIN RIVALS

Younger brother Jonny is a daily rival reminder. Mario Mola will be a danger if he can stay with the Brownlees on the bike.

OUR PREDICTION

Gold. On a hillier bike course than London 2012, it’s hard to predict anything other than a win for Ali come 18 August. But no one has ever won back-to-back Olympic titles, so maybe it’ll be Jonny who topples his big bro…

The Brownlees on Rio, recovery and peaking for your ‘A’ race

Gordon Benson

AGE 22

LIVES leeds

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

1st, Baku European Games, 2015

2016 SEASON TO DATE

29th, Leeds WTS

50th, Yokohama WTS

DNF, Gold Coast WTS

GORDON’S STRENGTH

As Baku proved, the 22-year-old is consistent across the three disciplines.

GORDON’S WEAKNESS

A lack of top-end experience. When the Brownlees and Gomez are at their peak, few can stay with them for long.

GORDON’S MAIN RIVALS

Given his pilot status, the Brownlees’ rivals will be Benson’s rivals in Rio.

OUR PREDICTION

Top 30 will be an achievement, as we can’t see him having a race influence. But the experience will be priceless.

Gordon Benson talks Rio and training with the Brownlees

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The 220 Triathlon team is made up of vastly experienced athletes, sports journalists, kit reviewers and coaches. In short, what we don't know about multisport frankly isn't worth knowing! Saying that, we love expanding our sporting knowledge and increasing our expertise in this phenomenal sport.