European bronze for Brownlee jnr

3:00pm Tuesday 13th May 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

Jonathan Brownlee claimed a junior bronze medal at the European Triathlon Championships in Lisbon.

A year after older brother Alistair took the title, the Bradford Grammar School pupil, pictured, looked to be on course to repeat the family success.

Having left the swim in the front pack, Brownlee made the lead bunch on the bike until a three-man breakaway split the pack and established a 30-second advantage.

Brownlee clocked the second fastest 5km run split with a time of 16min 30sec to pass ten athletes. He finished third within sight of winner Vincent Luis, coming in 18 seconds behind the Frenchman.

"It was hard work but was certainly worth it," said Brownlee. "Unfortunately three guys managed to get away in the technical section of the bike course and I couldn't bridge the gap.

"It was a bit hairy over the cobbles but that made it interesting."

Performance programme director Heather Williams said: "Jonny really stepped up to the mark and will have learnt a lot from this experience."

Alistair, in his first year in the senior competition, finished 15th in the elite men's race.

Brownlee and British team-mates Will Clarke and Richard Stannard were involved at the front of the race behind France's eventual winner Fred Belaubre but were hindered by other athletes spoiling the rhythm of the chasing pack.