Brownlee retains brother's title with storming victory in Madrid

Posted: Sunday 27th May 2012 | 20:36

JONATHAN Brownlee continued his red-hot form as he claimed his second consecutive ITU World Triathlon Series win in a sweltering Madrid.

CHAMPAGNE MOMENT: Jonathan Brownlee celebrates after winning back-to-back World Triathlon Series races in San Diego and Madrid (Delly Carr/ITU)

With brother and world champion Alistair watching on television, as he continues his rehabilitation from an Achilles injury, Brownlee kept the title in the family - after his sibling's wins in the Spanish capital in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

He was part of a nine-man breakaway on the bike leg and then surged clear in the run, finishing nearly 40 seconds ahead of nearest rivals, Russians Alexander Bryukhankov and Dmitry Polyanskiy, in one hour, 51 minutes and 49 seconds.

"It was my perfect scenario really," he said.

"It was a fast swim, with Richard Varga pushing the swim and at the top of the hill we had 40 seconds on the main pack and every single time that kept going up and up and that encouraged everyone to work.

"Everyone else was great in that pack, everyone was working really well together and there was no one that really missed a turn for the whole 40km.

"Then I got onto the run and I felt okay from the first lap, and I pushed on from there."

Vicky Holland and Liz Blatchford should have done enough to secure their Olympic selections after top ten finishes in the women's race.

World champion Helen Jenkins, absent from Madrid after winning her last outing in San Diego, is assured selection but two places are still available. Holland, fifth in California earlier in the month, come home seventh and Blatchford placed tenth.