Search
shop

Javier Gomez is out of the Rio 2016 Olympics

Mixed news for British triathlon fans & the Brownlees as word filters through that Javier Gomez is out of Rio 2016 with a broken arm.
Chief Correspondent
Last updated -
Get the ultimate guide to destination racing

Breaking news – and not good news at all for fans of the sport – London 2012 Olympic Silver medallist Javier Gomez is [UPDATE] reported to be out of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games after breaking his arm in a bike fall.

Spanish news website ABC is reporting the news that a fractured radius requires surgery and will mean no third Olympic Games for the five time ITU World Champion.

Javier comments (translated) in that article:

“It is difficult to understand how suddenly goes all the effort and enthusiasm that I put in the Olympics. It may be the hardest moment of my sporting life. But I have no choice but to accept it and think about having a good and rapid rehabilitation.”

Advertisement

Reaction from British Triathlon

We’ve managed to get an initial reaction from British Triathlon Performance Director, Brendan Purcell, to the news:

“That really is terrible news to hear. Javier is such a talented athlete, and you want the best athletes to be racing on the biggest stage.

While Javier is perhaps the biggest threat and rival to Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee’s prospects, his presence would also be an asset. As such a strong all-round athlete, having Javier there increases the prospects of a small, breakaway group at the front of the race, making it much harder for some of the slightly weaker swimmers to get back into the race later.

Sincere best wishes to Javier on his recovery.”

John Levison
Written by
John Levison
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.
Discover more
Laura Siddall Challenge Roth 2025 finish line
PremiumLaura Siddall: 10 things I’ve learned from my professional triathlon career
Ruth Astle finishing IRONMAN Vitoria 2024
PremiumHow to cope with a DNF: Elite athletes share their stories
PremiumIs your evening workout routine wrecking your recovery? Expert physiologist on how to improve recovery and what NOT to do
Caroline Pohle Lena Meissner ironman 703 jonkoping sprint 2025
PremiumTriathlon’s mid-season report card: Tim Don on who’s raising the bar this triathlon race season
03/07/2025 - Tour de France 2025 - Grand départ Jour 2 - Lille - Présentation des équipes -Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma-Lease a Bike)
PremiumWhat triathletes can learn from the Tour de France pro peloton
latest News
Norseman Triathlon 2023 Start
The Norseman 2025: Date, start time and how to follow live for ‘the race that makes athletes cry’
Jan Frodeno Cheesehead PTO Tour US Open 2023 Milwaukee
Triathlon legend Jan Frodeno goes outside his comfort zone to take on epic UTMB challenge
Matthew Marquardt wins IRONMAN Lake Placid 2025
Matthew Marquardt reveals why he would do IRONMAN Lake Placid again “in a heartbeat”
Premium‘The difference from triathlon is so big – there’s no comparison’: Maya Kingma on life in the Women’s WorldTour peloton
Sam Laidlow wins IRONMAN Leeds 2025
Sam Laidlow hails ‘special’ IRONMAN Leeds crowd after one fan sign turned chiller into thriller
triathlon on your terms
Never miss out with our triathlon alerts & digest. Get a dose of adventure & inspiration with Boundless.
The 247 Group

The home of endurance sports

TRI247-LOGO_Primary-Black_RGB-1

CHOOSE YOUR MEMBERSHIP TO BECOME PART OF SOMETHING EPIC

We’re on a mission to elevate the world of endurance sport, becoming your go-to resource for expert training tips and inspiration, unbiased reporting and creating a platform for grassroots voices. But we can’t do it without you on board! Choose a TRI247+ membership option below and become part of something epic.

£7.95/month

Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.

100+ new articles/month

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

£47.95/year
£95.40/year

50% Discount

100+ new articles/month

Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

Share to...