TRIATHLETES Alistair and Jonny Brownlee are to receive Honorary Doctorates from a local university.

The Bramhope-based duo, who in 2012 became the first British brothers in more than 100 years to stand on an Olympic podium together in an individual event, will receive the honour from Leeds Beckett University.

Alistair and Jonny have a long history with the university.

They first went to train as triathletes under the guidance of Director of Triathlon Jack Maitland - who was employed by the Director of Sport and Honorary Graduate Malcolm Brown MBE - aged 16 and 14 respectively.

And the brothers are now coached by Ian Mitchell, who also works for Leeds Beckett.

The Brownlees are set to receive their Honorary Doctorates during a ceremony at the university on Friday, November 8.

Chancellor of Leeds Beckett University, Sir Bob Murray CBE, said: “Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee have long-standing relationships with our university and we are very proud to have helped them in their journeys toward international sporting success.

“They are still very much part of our local community and I am very pleased we will be welcoming them back to campus to bestow these awards on them. I hope that their remarkable successes will inspire current and future students to follow in their footsteps.”

Alistair Brownlee MBE, who graduated from the university with an MSc in Finance in 2013, is the only athlete to hold two Olympic titles in the triathlon event, winning gold medals in the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games. Jonny won the bronze medal in the triathlon at the London 2012 Olympics and silver in the triathlon at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.