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
3rd, Commonwealth Games, 2014
2016 SEASON TO DATE
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)
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
2016 SEASON TO DATE
9th, Leeds WTS
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)
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
2 x ITU World Champion (2009 & 2011)
2016 SEASON TO DATE
1st, Stockholm 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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