Yee to take baton from Brownlees
ALEX YEE was tipped to dominate triathlon for the next decade after delivering a silver lining to Britain’s changing of the guard on the pontoon.
Under Tokyo’s Rainbow Bridge, south Londoner Yee unfurled a stunning Olympic debut to finish runner-up behind burly Norwegian Kristian Blummenfelt and his seethrough suit.
Jonny Brownlee, Britain’s former triathlon world champion finished fifth behind Yee in his final appearance for Team GB in the men’s race. Brownlee said: “That wasn’t a shock.We have seen it coming.”
After 10 years under the spell of double Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee and his brother as best supporting act, a new era dawned in the land of the rising sun.
Yee, 23, said: “Jonny still came fifth – that’s incredible. Legends never die and they will always have created that legacy – and brought up our sport of triathlon. Before they started, it wasn’t what it is today but now it’s got the platform. I hope I can do the same.”
Yee’s appearance on the podium was even more gratifying after he suffered fractured ribs and vertebrae and a collapsed lung in a high-speed crash at a race in Cagliari four years ago. Specialists warned Yee he may not be able to compete at elite level again, but he has confounded medical opinion, saying: “It’s surreal to come back from a point where people were saying you’re probably not going to be able to do your sport again.
“I still feel like I’m a child of the sport, I’m going into every race trying to learn things.This year, the way the races have gone, they seem to be going in my favour but, in a few years, the way triathlon goes, it might not be the case.
“If I can carry on improving my swim, I can be a bit higher up and be in the race every time and that’s the goal – to become the complete athlete.”
Jonny Brownlee was mightily impressed, saying: “People are going to have to keep working out how to beat him because, if they are not careful, he’s going to win lots and lots of races.”