Alistair Brownlee wins triathlon gold and brother Jonathan takes bronze (From Wharfedale Observer)

Alistair Brownlee wins triathlon gold and brother Jonathan takes bronze

1:16pm Tuesday 7th August 2012 in Sport By Alan Birkinshaw, Weeklies Sports Editor

Bramhope's Alistair Brownlee clinched the Olympic triathlon gold medal today and his brother Jonathan won bronze despite incurring a 15 second penalty.

Spain's Javier Gomez was second in an event that produced staggering crowds who willed the Brownlees to their triumphs.

Alistair's performance underlined his status as world number one and he led for much of the race.

Jonathan inccured his penalty at the first transition between the swim and the bike ride. He took the penalty on the third lap of the run when 27 seconds ahead of his nearest rival.

At the finish he collapsed across the line and was given immediate medical treatment in the shelter of the main stands, being taken away in a wheelchair to put the medal ceremony on hold.

He recovered and was later able to take his place on the rostrum to collect his well-deserved bronze medal.

Alistair's win registered Great Britain's 19th gold medal - equalling their haul at Beijing in 2008. It was also a great reward for the brave way he has battled back to fitness after tearing an Achilles earlier in the year.

In the 2008 games Alistair, then just 20, came home 12th after leading for three laps of the run.

"First off, (I am) immensely proud that my brother could get a bronze," Alistair said. "It was no secret we wanted to get both of us on the podium and that's not an easy thing to do considering Britain has never won a triathlon medal and all the things that could go wrong for one of you, like a penalty.

“Then when there is two of you the odds are even worse. But we gave it everything and it shows the strength of training together and pushing each other all the time and the relationship we have."

Jonathan said: "A bronze medal in the Olympics is great I'm really happy with it," Jonathan said. "It's the first penalty I've ever gotten. I didn't realise I'd done anything wrong.

"I looked at the board and thought Alistair had got a penalty, then I looked at my arm, and thought, Oh, I'm 31. I've got a penalty now. My first thought was, oh well, that's a shame, and then second thought was I'm going to have to run even faster and that will make it interesting, it was super hard for me. But I don't think it changes the result, just makes it a bit harder work."