The British triathlete Jonathan ‘Jonny’ Brownlee, one of the most decorated athletes in the history of triathlon, announced this Friday, at 36 years old, his retirement from the sport. Brownlee, who captured six world championships across different triathlon disciplines, also earned bronze in the individual triathlon at London 2012, silver in the same event at Rio de Janeiro, and gold in the mixed relay at Tokyo 2020. Until Alex Yee’s breakthrough in 2024, Brownlee stood as the most decorated triathlete in Olympic history. Alongside his brother Alistair, they became the subject of one of the sport’s most iconic images when Jonny collapsed in the final meters of a race in Cozumel (Mexico), received help from his brother, and they crossed the finish line together.
The 36-year-old Brownlee’s goal was to take part in one last competition in Jersey, but an injury has prevented him from doing so. “I don’t know if you ever truly prepare yourself for retirement from professional racing, but after this wonderful journey, here I am. My body is telling me I can’t have a fairy-tale retirement, but I am very close to having a dream career—a career I never would have imagined possible when I woke up to watch the Sydney Games at ten years old. I owe a lot to my parents, to my teammates, coaches, physiotherapists, sponsors, competitors, and fans. Nothing would have happened without you,” Brownlee stated in a press release. “I also want to mention Alistair. He is the one who created this path and made me believe that my dreams could come true. We did so much together and he inspired me every day.”