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Brownlee brothers on the costly race day swim mistakes to avoid – plus their own mishaps

The swim might be the shortest part of a triathlon, but getting it wrong can put a stop on nailing that PR you’ve been training for. Age group long course triathlete Jenny Lucas-Hill, who has a bit of a ‘swim-cident’ track record, gets some top tips from Alistair and Jonny Brownlee on the most common race day swim mistakes – and how to avoid them. Plus they share their own swim mishaps, proving that even the PROs can get it wrong from time to time.

By Jenny Lucas-Hill

Content Director

Last updated -

16 Jul 2025

I’ve made plenty of triathlon swim mistakes in my time. From my first ever open water swim, when I learned the importance of sighting the hard way by swimming face first into a giant inflatable buoy. ...

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Written by

Jenny Lucas-Hill

Jenny Lucas-Hill was Content Director at TRI247 until Sept 2025. A five-time Ironman finisher, she's also a qualified personal trainer and sports massage therapist.

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Brownlee brothers on the costly race day swim mistakes to avoid – plus their own mishaps

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