The plaudits just keep on coming for Britain’s Olympics triathlon champion Alex Yee, every one of them richly deserved.
It’s been an absolutely sensational 2024 for the 26-year-old Londoner, who has ascended to greatness with the season of his life.
The biggest moment of course came on that unforgettable day in July at Paris 2024, when he somehow summoned one final surge to pass great rival Hayden Wilde for Olympic gold.
Then in October the Brit was finally able to claim the one other prize which had so far eluded him in a spectacular career – that of World Triathlon Champion. He clinched that title by grabbing a podium spot at the WTCS Grand Final in Torremolinos.
Those two titles, particularly the one in Paris, catapulted Alex to national and international fame, putting triathlon in the spotlight as another British Olympic star Alistair Brownlee once also did. He is a worthy successor to the two-time champion who retired from the sport just last week.
Big honours for Alex Yee
With the attention comes accolades, deservedly so, and right now they are coming thick and fast for Britain’s brilliant Olympic superstar.
He was named as SJA Sportsman of the Year last week (voted for by more than 900 media professionals), live on UK major broadcast channel Sky Sports – following in the footsteps of past winners such as Lewis Hamilton, David Beckham, Lennox Lewis and Sebastian Coe.
That run to glory for Alex in the French capital was then voted by the public as Team GB Moment of the Olympics – ahead even of that brilliant 800m win for Keely Hodgkinson.
As well as those massive honours, the triathlon ace also had the sign in his home area of Brockley renamed to Brockyee. It’s been a quite a few months, and it did not stop there.
The Alex Yee Ladywell Arena
The latest accolade for Alex is a very special one – his home track, the Ladywell Arena, has now been named after him. Something that he admitted had left him “lost for words”.
The Alex Yee Ladywell Arena was officially opened in its new guise by the British great last Friday – check out the pictures of a very happy triathlete celebrating the honour on his Instagram account.
The arena is a multi-use sports facility in the heart of Catford, and as well as the 6-lane, 400-metre athletics track plus athletics field activities, there is an 11-a-side floodlit grass football pitch and an on-site gym open to all ages and abilities.
It seems fitting that a track which helped Alex hone his prodigious talents is now named after him. Further inspiration to the youngsters who will hopefully find sport an avenue for good in the future.
The man himself said: “From Lewisham to the World. 💙 The Alex Yee Ladywell Arena, my home track stamped in my heart. Lost for words. Thank you”
BBC SPOTY next for Alex?
There is one massive sports honour still up for grabs in the coming weeks – the hallowed BBC Sports Personality Of The Year (SPOTY) award. It will be decided at a glittering ceremony on Tuesday December 17, in front of a massive live TV audience.
Before that, a few days before the actual ceremony, we will find out whether or not Alex has made the shortlist of six finalists in the running for the award. The wait will be anxious with a nation ready to vote for their favourite sporting star of an epic 2024.
Are we in a triathlon boom, or hurtling towards burnout? Laura Siddall on the growth of the sport
