COZUMEL, Mexico — Alistair Brownlee almost won first place at the World Triathalon Series in Cozumel, Mexico on Sunday, but instead he stopped to help his brother who nearly collapsed less than 1,000 meters from the finish line.
Jonathan Brownlee, 26, and Alistair, 28, were in first and second place when exhaustion started to hit Jonathan hard.
Jonathan’s knees started to buckle, and he quickly moved over to the sidelines where race officials caught him. Alistair saw what was happening, and with the finish line in sight, he moved to the sidelines to help his brother.
Wheew what a finish to the 2016 ITU World Triathlon season that was. Mario Mola Díaz won his first elite World Championship title by just four points after Jonathan Brownlee suffered heat exhaustion in the final metres. The The Brownlee Brothers will go down in history for this finish, which kept Jonny in the running to take second in the Columbia Threadneedle Rankings.
Posted by World Triathlon on Sunday, September 18, 2016
As he slowed down, Henri Schoeman of South Africa overtook them, finishing in first place.
Alistair made sure Jonathan crossed the finished before him, allowing him to with second place. Alistair finished third.
The race concluded the season, allowing Jonathan to finish second and Alistair to finish 10th overall.
"I've been in that position before and when it happened to me … I swore if -- literally if it happened to anyone, I would have helped them across the line because, to be honest, it's a horrible position to be in," Alistair Brownlee said after the race.
Jonathan posted a photo to Twitter thanking his brother for his support.
“Thanks Ali Brownleetri, your loyalty is incredible,” Jonathan tweeted.
Not how I wanted to end the season, but gave it everything. Thanks @AliBrownleetri, your loyalty is incredible pic.twitter.com/6uG4QiIgfS
— Jonathan Brownlee (@jonny_brownlee) September 19, 2016
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