Leeds Triathlon: Home comforts suit champion Alistair Brownlee

Homecoming: Double Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee contests his first triathlon of the year in Leeds on Sunday. (Picture: Tony Johnson)

Brownlee will make a one-off appearance in this year’s ITU World Series in his home city on Sunday wheN he will renew acquaintances with brother Jonny. Alistair won the race last year – in the first staging of an ITU event in the city – with Jonny, 27, finishing second.

Brownlee said: “Leeds last year was really one of the highlights of my whole career as a race. It was really special and I am looking forward to seeing the crowds out there again. It’s going to be a bit different. It’s the first world series race I’ve done but still, triathlon is triathlon. I’ve done enough of them over the years.”

Brownlee’s transition to half Ironman events in 2017 looked to have been seamless after winning his first two races in Gran Canaria and Utah. But trouble followed in Slovakia in the inaugural championship last weekend when he retired on the run after leading the race over the first two disciplines.

Alistair Brownlee celebrates his win of the 2016 ITU World Triathlon Leeds in Millenium Square. (Picture: Tony Johnson)

“It went terribly,” conceded Brownlee. “I didn’t enjoy it very much. I felt bad from the start. A four-hour race is a really long way when you’re not feeling well.”

Back on home territory, Brownlee now has the comfort of a race he has been instrumental in planning to look forward to.

Sunday’s race will be the first time the brothers have raced each other since Alistair carried his younger sibling over the finish line at the series finale in Mexico last September.

“It’s nice to be home and nice to be in a city I know,” said Brownlee. “It’s completely different (to anywhere else). The city is passionate about hosting the triathlon. For that weekend, the city becomes about the triathlon, rather than a triathlon going to a city.”

Brownlee also hinted that the prospect of more triathlon races at the Olympic Games could tempt him to commit to a fourth consecutive Games.

The IOCs executive board meets in Lausanne today to ratify the additions to the Tokyo programme, including the mixed relay. “It’s a big deal,” Brownlee added. “With the potential to win two more Olympic gold medals, that could have quite a big bearing on what I decide to do about Tokyo. It could definitely tempt me back.”