The Brownlee brothers – Jonny and Alistair – rewrote British triathlon history through more than a decade of dominance on the ITU circuit and the Olympic stage. Between them, they amassed multiple world titles, Olympic medals of every colour, and series wins, becoming icons of consistency, resilience, and tactical brilliance in elite short-course racing.
Now, at 35, Jonny Brownlee is still racing at the highest level, but with an eye firmly on the sport’s future.
He arrives at the final Supertri event of the year, Toulouse, not just as an Olympic medalist (gold in the mixed relay in Tokyo; silver and bronze in the individual triathlon in Rio and London, respectively), but also as a team leader and mentor, helping to shape the next generation of British triathlon through Brownlee Racing.
“Brownlee Racing was formed in 2024,” Jonny told Triathlon Magazine. “The aim of it is to get the next generation of British talent coming through. Throughout our whole career, legacy and supporting the next British athletes has been really important for us.”
Emerging Success is Growing
The vision behind Brownlee Racing is already paying off.
Jonny points to 20-year-old Oliver Conway, who joined the team this year and finished an impressive fourth at WTCS Karlovy Vary on September 14. He backed that up with a third place podium finish at Supertri Jersey on September 21, only nine seconds behind race winner Csongor Lehmann. These recent results have been breakouts for the young Brit, and validation of the Brownlee Racing mission.
“Investing in young talent is at the heart of what we’re trying to do,” Jonny said. “We’ve been lucky enough to have the support and experience over our careers, and now we want to pass that on.”
The mission is also evident in the rise of athletes like Beth Cook and Brandon Pye, who are both gaining valuable exposure and experience through Brownlee Racing and the fast-paced format of Supertri events. And Brownlee Racing has supported some non-British athletes as well, such as Jolien Vermeylen, a Belgian athlete who won the overall women’s Supertri in Toronto this past July.
“Jolien is someone who started the sport really at Supertri, and now she’s a young athlete competing on the world stage,” Jonny said. “She got into triathlon after reading our book Swim, Bike, Run: Our Triathlon Story. That is what Supertri and Brownlee Racing are about.”
Balancing Racing and Mentorship
Jonny Brownlee remains driven to contribute as both an athlete and a mentor. “Firstly, I want to be competitive. I want to be a positive point scorer and help for the overall. We want to do well and be competitive,” he shared. “And then secondly, I want to pass on my advice and my experience.”
Brownlee admits he’s still learning how to balance those roles, humbled by how younger athletes see him. “It’s not really until some of the young lads start mentioning it – saying things like, ‘You do realize how lucky we are to race with you, right?’ Marcus Dey, for example, said to me, ‘I grew up watching you. I knew about triathlon because of you. I wanted to do triathlon because of you. I watched you compete around the world and thought, wow. And now I’m racing with you. I feel incredibly fortunate.’”
For Brownlee, these moments underscore the importance of mentorship and leadership. “I want to be here first and foremost to be competitive and help the team out to get points, but at the same time if I can pass stuff on then that is great as well.”
Advice for the Next Generation
When asked what advice he would share with younger athletes beyond performance, Brownlee’s message is simple: “The first one is to enjoy it, and don’t forget why you do it,” he said. “Sometimes you find yourself on a start line thinking, ‘Why am I here? I’m nervous. I’m not looking forward to the next two hours.’ But take a step back and remember: when you were that young athlete coming up, you would have done anything to be on the start line of an Olympic Games or a Supertri event. So take that step back and say, ‘This is what I do it for. This is why I train so hard – to be here, to enjoy this, instead of being on the sidelines.’ So let’s try and enjoy it.”
He also highlights the importance of community. “Take people with you on the journey. Whether it’s training partners, coaches, or others, it’s really important to have people alongside you, because it can be a lonely place without them. But it’s also your responsibility to bring people with you.”
A Legacy in Motion
For Jonny Brownlee, the joy of racing now comes not only from his own performances, but also from witnessing the progress of the athletes around him. He speaks with genuine pride about their development, celebrating their successes with as much enthusiasm as his own.
Brownlee remains a fierce competitor, but just as importantly, he takes pride in the role he and his brother have played in igniting a movement that has changed the course of British triathlon. Watching the next generation rise is, for him, the clearest sign that their legacy is already taking root.
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