Top 13 Jonathan Brownlee Quotes

I raced in London in the 2012 Olympics, and it was incredible to be a part of, with half a million people watching and then later seeing kids going back to cycle.

To win a joint gold medal with my brother – that’s the dream, to cross the line together.

In a triathlon, it’s all about cycling in the most efficient manner. You need to save your energy for the run at the end, so you want to ride really efficiently and not waste your energy. The only way to do that is to spend a really long time on the bike.

Cycling into work every day is a brilliant way to add in extra training hours without feeling like you are taking up much time.

The Olympics is this big global event, but when neighbours come up and wish you well, it feels more personal.

I get up at 6:17 in the morning. I’ve timed it perfectly.

I remember watching the 2000 Sydney Olympics, with my nose right up to the screen, knowing there and then that I wanted a sporting career.

During an open water swim, it’s easy to lose your direction. With all the splash, it can be quite hard to see the next buoy, so I look behind it for something bigger, like a tree or a building, and aim for that instead.

It’s great to have an honest course where you can use your strength. I swim 10 hours a week, I bike 20 hours a week, and I want to be able to show that.

On the night before a triathlon, I normally eat something simple like a pizza. You know where you stand with pizza. It’s not going to upset you or give you food poisoning, and it contains carbohydrates and a bit of salt, which is perfect before a triathlon.

2014 wasn’t my finest year. I was a bit inconsistent. I did too much training and got a bit overtired. It’s the way I am, and sometimes I overtrain.

I was good at swimming until everyone started to grow. The best swimmers are really tall with great big shoulders, and that just isn’t us. But then a big, powerful swimmer isn’t going to be so good on the bike and the run.

The school holidays were always an exciting time in the Brownlee household. This was the opportunity for my brother Alistair and me to escape from the classroom and enjoy the great outdoors. Our childhood was jam-packed with fun family games and activities.