Brownlee finally strikes Olympic gold... and it’s in the mixed triathlon!

JONNY BROWNLEE discovered the key to happiness after finally joining the family gold rush and crowing: “The Olympics — I’ve completed it.”

Only the stoniest heart would begrudge Brownlee his first gold medal in the inaugural triathlon mixed relay after he won bronze at London 2012 and silver in Rio five years ago — where his brother Alistair won back-to-back titles.

Now he is an Olympic champion in his own right, although he insisted: “I wouldn’t change any of it — one of the proudest boasts in my triathlon career is that I’ve never had any jealousy towards Alistair.

“I have never looked up and thought, ‘Why is he winning the gold medals and not me?’ I was just beaten by the better athlete.”

Brownlee’s triumph in collaboration with Alex Yee, Georgia Taylor-Brown and Jess Learmonth was a gratifying success for one of sport’s good guys.

Over the short course of a 300-metre swim, 6.8km bike ride and 2km run, Brownlee saved his finest performance for his last Olympic race before he moves up to longer-distance Ironman disciplines.

When he finished fifth in the Tokyo 2020 men’s triathlon behind silver medallist Yee, it had looked like a changing-of-the-guard moment — but on a steamy morning under Tokyo’s Rainbow Bridge, the family firm was back in business.

Brownlee, 31, said: “It’s about time. I’ve kept on trying to win gold medals — Alistair’s won two so far, and finally to go home with one of my own is super special. And it’s also the first-ever (Olympic) mixed team relay in triathlon, so we’ve made history in that.

“Does it feel like I have moved out of Alistair’s shadow? Yeah, I definitely have done. He won the junior world championships in 2006 — I crashed on the first corner. This is the crowning moment – maybe not the sweetest because I’m not sure anything will ever beat London. But every time I have gone to a major games, I have come home with a medal and that’s something I’m incredibly proud of.

“I also got the fastest leg of the whole day and the fastest run — three seconds on Yee boy. I’m proud of that as well.”

Big brother Alistair was a thrilled spectator at Odaiba Marine Park.

He said: “I’ve known for a long time how much he’s wanted that gold – and he never wanted to touch my medals. He thought it was bad luck. It’s awesome, I’m really happy for him.”