Chance of lifting world title is top of agenda again for in-form Brownlee

Yorkshire’s 2009 world champion and the reigning double European champion ensured he would return to London’s Hyde Park next year to contest the Olympic triathlon with a stunning victory.

A good day for the Brownlee household was complete when Jonny left defending champion Javier Gomez in his wake to finish third and seal his spot in the Olympics alongside his older brother. Alistair has closed to within 170 points of Gomez after three successive series wins and said of the possibility of regaining the title: “That would be fantastic.

“I hadn’t thought about it until now but I’ve got three wins and I think that puts me in as strong a position as any to go on and try to win the world title.”

The next race is held in Lausanne later this month with the closing legs in Beijing and Yokohama in September. Brownlee is likely to only race once in the Far East unless the world title is on the line.

Helen Jenkins won the women’s triathlon 24 hours before Alistair romped home through the pouring rain, and now the Welshwoman – a surprise world champion in 2008 – is also targeting the world title.

Jenkins, who is fourth in the standings and 152 points behind leader Barbara Riveros Diaz, said: “This year the target was Hyde Park and I wasn’t bothered about the series but I could be in with a shot.

“I’ve got to keep racing for that now. Once you have a good race you’re excited to get out there and race again.

“It’s the best form I’ve been in, but I can still improve.”