Wilder deal is no Breaze
believes winning for England means just as much to him now, dismissing the notion that the so-called Friendly Games does not have the same gold-medal cache.
“It’s got a bit of a different feel about it, but at the end of the day you’re on that start line with 30 other people you want to beat and you want to be on that podium,” said Alistair.
“Whether it’s the Commonwealth Games, the Olympics or a cross-country race around your local park,
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you still want to win that race. I haven’t had the perfect build-up but the training in the last few weeks has been good and I’m going to be on the start line and absolutely giving it my all.
“The Commonwealth Games still mean a lot, I wouldn’t be here otherwise. I remember when the triathlon was first in the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002 and that was a massive deal at the time.
“I don’t like to call myself an old athlete but as someone who’s done it for a long time, you can become a bit blase about pulling on that national shirt and you shouldn’t because it’s a big honour.
“I remember the time I got my first Great Britain tri-suit when I was 14. It was a big deal then and it’s still a big deal now. It’s irrelevant if it’s England or Great Britain, it’s still a big deal.”
It was that competitive instinct which left Brownlee questioning whether he should accept the honour of being England’s flag bearer at the opening ceremony today – just hours before he plunges into the Pacific.
He said: “It’s a decision I ruminated on for a while and I decided ‘yes’ because my race is in the afternoon.
“Ordinarily I wouldn’t have done it but it is such a great chance and in all probability my only chance to do it. I’ve never actually been to an opening ceremony before, so I thought it might be my last chance.”
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DEONTAY WILDER claims he is ready for a £100million clash with Anthony Joshua this summer – despite Eddie Hearn’s concerns that he already has a fight with Dominic Breazeale lined up.
WBC heavyweight champion Wilder released a statement saying he is willing to travel to the UK to face WBA, IBF and WBO title holder Joshua.
“Anthony, I am so glad you want to fight me as your next opponent,” he said.
“I accept that challenge and I am ready to come to the UK for my next fight.”
But Joshua’s promoter Hearn fears Wilder’s camp have already agreed a deal to face Breazeale after the latter pulled out of an IBF final eliminator against Kubrat Pulev, which would push any meeting with Joshua back until November or December. Hearn said: “Wilder’s going to fight Breazeale next, there’s no doubt about that. Breazeale had a final eliminator to fight Pulev, a massive opportunity to become mandatory to Joshua – and if he had fought Pulev, he would probably have won.
“So why pull out if he had nothing else on? The answer is because he’s fighting Deontay Wilder.” SARACENS chairman Nigel Wray is to take full control of the Aviva Premiership club after their South African investors opted to pull out.
Wray, who has co-owned Saracens with entrepreneur Johann Rupert’s Remgro company for the past nine years, moved to reassure supporters of the club’s future.
“I am very happy to say that I’ve decided to buy all Remgro’s shares as I have huge faith and commitment to this club,” said Wray.