Why doesn't Jonny Brownlee want to do an IRONMAN?
The Briton explains why he has no plans to debut in long distance.
Jonny Brownlee has been one of the most decorated triathletes on the Olympic circuit, with gold, silver and bronze medals at the Games, and a career that has marked an era alongside his brother Alistair.
However, unlike many of his rivals, the younger Brownlee brother has yet to compete in an IRONMAN.
And it doesn't look like that's going to change anytime soon.
The “scare” he got when he saw Kona
In an interview on the 'Junkyard Dogs' podcast, Jonny confessed that what held him back the most was seeing his brother Alistair suffer in his first IRONMAN in Kona 2019.
“Watching him crash during the race was tough. I was at home, watching it on TV, and I thought, 'This is a long, long, long day,'” he said.
Respect for distance
Although Jonny has already competed in the middle distance (70.3) and did well, the idea of tackling the 226 km of a full IRONMAN does not appeal to him, at least for now.
“I always think double the distance is too much. I can't imagine going from Olympic to half… and then to full!”
That said, he doesn't completely close the door: "Now that I've done a 70.3 without breaking a sweat, maybe I'll try it in a few years. But I don't know if I'll do it to compete or just to finish."
IRONMAN Leeds? Better not.
The IRONMAN Leeds race , in his hometown, could be a good debut. But he's clear about it: “It's an extremely tough course. My brother told me, 'If you do an IRONMAN, choose one that's over quickly'... and Leeds isn't that one.”
Jonny has also confirmed that he will return to focusing on the short format and Supertrim competitions this year.
Will we ever see Jonny in Kona?
Although triathlon fans dream of seeing Jonny Brownlee in Kona, the Briton seems to have other plans in mind. For now, he will continue competing in explosive races, where he feels comfortable and enjoys himself more.
