The great and the good from not just the triathlon world but the wider sporting landscape have been quick to pay tribute to double Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee after he announced his retirement.
His greatest rival Javier Gómez called him “the best athlete to ever do this sport” while Alistair’s brother Jonny labelled him “an inspiration”.
That duo shared many an epic battle and podium with Alistair – all three became world champions in what was a vintage era for the sport as the very nature of the racing was pushed to new limits across swim, bike and run.
And many others who were either inspired by or raced against Alistair have added their voices to the chorus of approval after he posted his retirement message on Instagram.
British legends
Beth Potter switched from 10,000 metres on the track to triathlon after Rio in 2016 and Alistair has helped guide her every step of the way.
She became a world champion last year and then this year in Paris won two brilliant bronze medals at the Olympics.
She wrote: “Thank you for inspiring me all those years ago and for passing on everything you know. I’m sure I’ll see you at training soon 😜.”
Fellow Brit Non Stanford, who became world champion in 2013 and has also been based in Leeds in what has become a famed training centre thanks to the Brownlees, wrote in a similar vein: “The master 🫡 Thanks for bringing me in and showing me what it actually takes all those years ago. Forever grateful 🙏🏼.”
Global recognition
Another strong theme was referencing the fact that Alistair’s aggressive and confident racing moved the sport on in spectacular style.
Brownlee succeeded Germany’s Jan Frodeno as Olympic champion and the two would go on to have many memorable middle-distance battles in more recent times.
Frodeno famously beat Brownlee and Gómez in an epic renewal of the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in 2018 and he wrote on Instagram: “What a career. What a champion. You changed the game🙌”
And both reigning IRONMAN World Champions – Germany’s Laura Philipp and France’s Sam Laidlow – added their thoughts.
Laidlow is part of the new generation which is pushing full-distance racing to new heights, and he has raced Brownlee in the T100 Triathlon World Tour this season. He said: “Legend. It’s been a pleasure to have raced with you having grown up watching you! All the best mate🙌”
Meanwhile Philipp added: “Congrats on your amazing career🥂🔥”
And New Zealand’s Kyle Smith, who Brownlee overtook for third late on in what proved to be his final race at T100 Dubai on Sunday, beautifully summed up Alistair’s overarching influence on the sport when he said: “Take a bow Ali. It’s been a pleasure growing up watching you, be inspired by you, race against you and become friends with you. I’m grateful, we’re all grateful 🫡🫡.”
Fellow sporting greats hail the master
And it wasn’t just from the triathlon world that the tributes flowed.
Belgium cycling great Remco Evenepoel, who did the road cycling double at the Paris Olympics this summer when winning both the time trial and then the road race in epic style, posted: “Congrats on everything! 👏🔥🎩”
And Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, like Brownlee one of the British megastars of those memorable Games at London 2012 as she won heptathlon gold, added: “Absolute champ! What a career and journey you’ve had. It’s been a pleasure to watch. Enjoy this next chapter 💫 #yorkshire“
Brownlee has hinted that ultrarunning could be one of the things on the agenda for him in retirement and arguably the best in the business in that sphere in terms of the men is American John Kelly, a three-time finisher of the infamous Barkley Marathons and a former IRONMAN athlete himself.
He posted: “Such an amazing journey you had – unmatched success, all done the right way, and such a model and inspiration for others. There will be many exciting things for you ahead. Hopefully see you in the hills. 🙂”
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