Team GB Olympic triathlon line-up finalised

The names of the triathletes who will line up for Great Britain at the Olympics in Tokyo next month are now decided.

Nine years after he was cheering on the competitors at the games in his home city of London, Alex Yee will pull on a GB running top and compete in the men’s event alongside two-time Olympic medallist Jonny Brownlee.

On hearing of his selection, 23-year-old Yee said: “I was massively inspired after watching London 2012, and now to be selected to represent Team GB after the delay, COVID, and the challenges everyone has been through, I am delighted.”

Yee, pictured, goes into the games in great form, off the back of winning the most recent World Series event, in Leeds, and having recently been watched by millions around the world emerging as the top British finisher in the new Super League Triathlon events in London and Rotterdam.

Vicky Holland, who in 2016 became the first British woman to win an individual triathlon medal, with a bronze, is also Tokyo-bound.

Jess Learmonth and Georgia Taylor-Brown are the final two squad members, and will be making their first Olympic appearances. Learmonth’s recent good form has included a runner-up spot at her home race in Leeds of the AJ Bell World Triathlon Series, while Taylor-Brown is still ranked number two in the world, despite not having enjoyed any competitive action since last September.

The unluckiest of the candidates fighting it out for a team place must be Tom Bishop, who raced at five events in as many weeks on three different continents as he sought to earn the number of qualifying points needed, having to make up the progress he lost through crashes, injury and a curtailed 2020 race season.

But in the end, he fell short of the points he needed.

Speaking after the squad was finalised, triathlon team leader for Team GB, Mike Cavendish, praised Alex Yee’s performances so far this year, and added: “I want to congratulate Alex. It’s been great to see him taking a step up and I know he’ll be in a strong position on the start line.” He said he believed that the GB triathletes were “full of potential”.

The dates and times when we’ll find out how much that potential will be realised are: men’s race, Monday 26 July 10:30pm BST (6:30am local time), women’s race, Tuesday 27 July at the same start time.

Finally, the mixed relay race is scheduled for 11.30pm BST on Saturday 31 July.