Tokyo 2020: Alistair Brownlee out of Olympics after being disqualified from triathlon trial
- Brownlee appears certain to miss the Tokyo Games after being penalised for ‘ducking’ rival Chase McQueen during swim
Alistair Brownlee conceded on Sunday that his hopes of becoming a three-time Olympic champion are over after he was disqualified from the World Triathlon Series event in Leeds for unsportsmanlike conduct during the swim leg.
“I only knew I was disqualified on the last lap so it was a bitter end to it,” Brownlee told BBC Sport. “In the middle of the swim, anything can happen. I’m in the middle of a stroke and I can guarantee that as bad was done to me 10 seconds before and 10 seconds after. It is a subjective field of play decision, but it is what it is.”
Brownlee later tweeted to say he was “very embarrassed about being Dq’d. The swim action was completely unintentional.“
He said he will now have ankle surgery before focusing on long-distance triathlons in the future.
“That’s not how I wanted my last World Triathlon series race to pan out,“ he tweeted. “I’ve struggled with an ankle injury for three months and have done everything possible to get it better and stay fit for racing.