Author

John Levison

John Levison

Chief Correspondent
TRI247's Chief Correspondent, John has been involved in triathlon for well over 30 years, 15 of those writing on these pages, whilst he can also be found commentating for events across the UK.

John Levison is an experienced triathlon writer, analyst and event commentator who has been a key member of the TRI247 team for more that 15 years now. Previously Editor of the leading UK-based triathlon publisher, he now holds the title of Chief Correspondent. 

Having studied Banking and Finance at Loughborough University from 1990 to 1994, it was at the renowned sports-focused venue that John’s triathlon journey began, when he joined the University triathlon club on arrival. 

An ‘enthusiastic amateur’ athlete, John raced in triathlon events over a 25-year period across all distances, including four iron-distance finishes and representing the Great Britain Age-Group team in 2001 (Fredericia, Denmark) and 2008 (Vancouver, Canada). In running, he also achieved a sub three-hour marathon clocking in London in 2002. 

After a career in finance and banking in London, working for British Airways, Barclays and Union Bank of Switzerland, John joined TRI247 shortly after its launch. He has a strong background in event reporting, interviews, analysis, opinion and colour features. He is renowned for his attention to detail, and extensive knowledge on the history of the sport. 

John was a key part of the TRI247 team that won the 220 ‘Triathlon Website of the Year’ award for six consecutive years, and listeners of the MX Endurance podcast voted John the Triathlon Media Person of the Year in 2021. 

John’s knowledge and passion for the sport has also seen him become one of the most familiar voices at major triathlon events through his commentary work, both on-site announcing and livestream broadcast. This has included every major World Triathlon Series event in the UK since 2010 (London, Nottingham, Leeds, Sunderland), two Commonwealth Games (Glasgow 2014 and Birmingham 2022), the 2018 Glasgow European Championships, the 2015 Baku European Games in Azerbaijan and many more.  

His livestream and broadcast clients have included the BBC, IRONMAN, Challenge Family and Europe Triathlon, covering all distances and formats of the sport, including paratriathlon. 

In addition to event commentary, John has hosted many awards dinners for both British Triathlon and Europe Triathlon, hosted Q&As at Triathlon Shows and was the MC for the British Olympic Association triathlon team announcement ahead of Rio 2016. He was the subject of an extended interview with the IMTalk podcast in June 2023. 

Vicky Holland World Triathlon Cup Rome 2023
Olympic Games Triathlon, supertri E World Championship, World Triathlon Championship Series Yokohama

Vicky Holland gears up for ‘last dance’ as WTCS Yokohama test beckons

Alistair Brownlee, Jonny Brownle, Rio 2016 Olympic Games podium celebration
Jonny Brownlee, Olympic Games Triathlon, World Triathlon Championship Series Yokohama, WTCS

Britain’s Brownlees era in Olympic triathlon reaches pivotal moment as Jonny bids for Paris qualification

Hugo Milner, supertri E World Championship London 2024
Arena Games Triathlon London, Super League Triathlon, supertri E, supertri E World Championship

Hugo Milner – the breakthrough ‘newbie’ chasing Olympic selection

Katie Zaferes supertri E World Championship London 2024
Arena Games Triathlon London, Katie Zaferes, supertri E, supertri E World Championship

“The hardest race I’ve ever done” – Katie Zaferes talks supertri E London

Chase McQueen wins Arena Games 2023 Montreal photo credit Darren Wheeler That Cameraman SLT
Arena Games Triathlon London, Super League Triathlon, supertri E, supertri E World Championship

Chase McQueen on the challenge of the supertri E World Championship

Katie Zaferes - Super League Triathlon London 2023
Arena Games Triathlon London, Katie Zaferes, Super League Triathlon, supertri E, supertri E World Championship

Kate Zaferes on her supertri E debut – “no tactics, just go hard, start to finish”

Cassandre Beaugrand podium Paris Test Event 2023 [Photo credit: World Triathlon / Wagner Araujo]
Cassandre Beaugrand, Georgia Taylor-Brown, Olympic Games Triathlon, Vincent Luis

Europe Triathlon Cup Quarteira: Preview and how to watch live as a STELLAR field heads for Portugal

Alistair Brownlee at T100 Triathlon World Tour launch 2024
Alistair Brownlee, Miami T100, PTO Tour, T100 Triathlon World Tour

Can Alistair Brownlee win a T100 in 2024? Analysing the big picture for a triathlon legend

Beth Potter - Team GB launch November 2023
Alistair Brownlee, Beth Potter, Olympic Games Triathlon

Beth Potter’s secret to success? “I’m really bad at quitting!”

Mike Cavendish, Alex Yee, Beth Potter, Mark English - Team GB selection announcement November 2023, Savoy Hotel
Alex Yee, Beth Potter, Georgia Taylor-Brown, Jess Learmonth, Jonny Brownlee, Olympic Games Triathlon, Sophie Coldwell

“Never count Jonny Brownlee out” – British Triathlon Performance Director on Paris 2024

Jack Maitland and Beth Potter after the Paris Test Event 2023
Beth Potter, Olympic Games Triathlon, Paris Olympics Test Event, WTCS

Coach Jack Maitland on Beth Potter’s rise from triathlon novice to World Champion

Jack Maitland with Alistair Brownlee
Alistair Brownlee, Beth Potter, Jonny Brownlee, Olympic Games Triathlon, WTCS

The Jack Maitland story: Britain’s triathlon supercoach on his journey into swim/bike/run

Lucy Charles-Barclay IRONMAN World Championship Kona 2023 Finish
Anne Haug, Daniela Ryf, IRONMAN World Championship, Kat Matthews, Laura Philipp, Lucy Charles-Barclay, Skye Moench, Taylor Knibb

IRONMAN Kona 2023: What we learned from an epic World Championship showdown in Hawaii

Challenge Barcelona 2023 - Photo Credit: Jose Luis Hourcade
Alistair Brownlee, Challenge Barcelona, Challenge Family

In pictures: Alistair Brownlee’s racing return at Challenge Barcelona 2023

WTCS Hamburg podium 2023 Vasco Vilaca Hayden Wilde Alex Yee photo credit Tommy Zaferes / World Triathlon
Alex Yee, Hayden Wilde, Kristian Blummenfelt, WTCS, WTCS Finals Pontevedra

WTCS Pontevedra predictions: Yee, Wilde and Vilaca in tantalising battle for world title glory

Sam Laidlow, Patrick Lange, Magnus Ditlev - IRONMAN World Championship 2023 podium Nice, France
IRONMAN, IRONMAN World Championship, Jan Frodeno, Lionel Sanders, Patrick Lange, Sebastian Kienle

IRONMAN World Championship analysis: A post-Nice deep dive into triathlon’s full-distance landscape

KAILUA KONA, HAWAII - OCTOBER 12: Jan Frodeno of Germany celebrates after winning the Ironman World Championships on October 12, 2019 in Kailua Kona, Hawaii. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images for IRONMAN)
Daniel Baekkegard, IRONMAN, IRONMAN World Championship, Jan Frodeno, Joe Skipper, Patrick Lange, Rudy Von Berg

IRONMAN World Championship 2023: John Levison’s podium picks and Nice predictions

Leo Bergere Super League Triathlon Toulouse 2023
Hayden Wilde, Jonny Brownlee, Super League Championship, Super League Triathlon, Super League Triathlon Championship - Toulouse

Super League Triathlon Toulouse results 2023: Leo Bergere takes home win in France

Super League Triathlon Toulouse 2023 - Kate Waugh
Super League Championship, Super League Triathlon, Super League Triathlon Championship - Toulouse

Super League Triathlon Toulouse results 2023: Kate Waugh dominates

Hayden Wilde, Matt Hauser Super League Triathlon London 2022
Super League Championship, Super League Triathlon, Super League Triathlon Championship - Toulouse

Super League Triathlon Toulouse 2023: Start time, date and how to watch live

Katie Zaferes - Super League Triathlon London 2023
Katie Zaferes, Olympic Games Triathlon, Paris Olympics Test Event, Super League Triathlon Championship - London

Katie Zaferes: “I can get back to where I was before”