ALISTAIR Brownlee was beaten into second place in a dramatic sprint finish at the fifth World Triathlon Series event of the season in Yokohama on Saturday.

Olympic champion Brownlee was in contention right until the end but was eventually edged out by two seconds by world champion Javier Gomez.

Another Spaniard, Mario Mola, finished in third while Brits Mark Buckingham and Adam Bowden finished fourth and seventh respectively.

Bingley Harrier Brownlee, 27, who only returned from an ankle injury with victory in Cape Town last month, said: "It was a tough run and I was hanging on for most of it."

Brownlee exited the 1500m swim and got onto the bike in a small lead group, but the lead didn't last long.

On the 10km run Brownlee was locked in battle with Spaniards Gomez and Mola, but the latter was dropped after 8km, leaving Gomez and Brownlee to fight to the line.

In the finishing straight Brownlee led, but Gomez overtook with just metres to go and the Brit admitted to feeling under par.

"I had a little mess up with my helmet," said Brownlee. "That meant there was a couple of seconds gap that I had to close, not normally a problem but today I just never recovered.

"I had to sit at the back for the first two or three laps. I had nothing, it's the worst I've ever felt in a race in my life.

"Obviously after [the win in] Cape Town I wanted to win here but a first and a second is brilliant for the world title. [There are] another four Series races to go, I should become fitter as well."

In the women's race, America's Gwen Jorgensen continued her remarkable run of form by claiming her ninth consecutive victory.

Jorgensen finished over a minute ahead of Australian pair Ashleigh Gentle and Emma Moffatt, with Aileen Reed finishing sixth for Ireland, one place ahead of Britain's Non Stanford.