Brownlee brothers miss out as Gomez triumphs

It came down to a sprint finish between the two men, with both knowing victory would give them the title, and the Spaniard was the stronger in the final metres.

The world title is decided over a series of races and Leeds’s Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee led the way in the standings after three victories but an ankle injury that has troubled him for much of the year kept him out of contention.

Going into transition at the start of the 10km run, the 25-year-old was grimacing in pain, and he eventually trailed in 52nd at the same venue where he won gold last summer.

Only Gomez has managed to rival the Brownlees since Alistair won the world title for the first time in 2009, with the elder brother winning again in 2011 and Jonny taking the crown for the first time last season.

Jonny, 23, said: “I’m a bit gutted because it was so close. When it’s like that you ask yourself, ‘What could I have done differently?’

“I knew Alistair was struggling going into it. He’s literally done four weeks of training the whole year. He did two weeks of training in St Moritz and was already as fit as me and then he hurt himself in Stockholm.

“The only reason he did well in Stockholm and Hamburg and Kitzbuhel is because he’s so good. It’s incredible what he’s done this year.

“He shouldn’t have raced. After Stockholm he really hasn’t run. He ran on Thursday for the first time in about two weeks.

“Before the race he was really nervous. (Saturday) we went for a run and I could tell it was bothering him.

“That’s why it’s even tougher to take because I wanted to win it for him as well. I knew it was up to me.”

Jonny and Gomez were locked together for the entirety of the run before Jonny made a move with around 200m to go.

Initially it looked like it might be enough but the Spaniard fought his way past to clinch victory and his third world championship.

Alistair at one stage looked to have got into a rhythm and climbed to fifth before the pain became too much and he jogged around the remainder of the course.

He concentrated on trying to help Jonny, gesturing to him to play it smart and then stopping to urge him on in the closing moments.

Alistair said: “I was watching Jonny and I was getting so frustrated with him. All he had to do was sit behind Javier until the last 50 metres and he was going to win.

“I saw him make his move with about 200m to go, and I thought, ‘Oh no, what an idiot’.

“I’ll be giving him a lot of stick for that. He’s thrown a world title away through being a complete tactical numpty.”

Jonny did not feel he had made a big mistake, saying: “It was tough because there was a bit of a headwind. I don’t know what I could have done differently.

“Javier’s an incredible athlete. He’s got no weaknesses. I thought his sprint finish was a weakness but obviously not.”

Alistair did not even have the consolation of an overall medal, with Spaniard Mario Mola’s third place on the day lifting him onto the overall podium.

The Yorkshireman said: “I did think about not starting and I planned not to finish if it was really sore on the run but when it came to it I just couldn’t pull out.”

Gomez split the Brownlees at the Olympics last year but admitted he was not confident heading into the race.

He said: “I couldn’t believe when I came here that I really had a chance to win the title. It’s very difficult racing the Brownlees at home. I know how hard it is to beat them. I just gave my best and it worked out very well. Alistair is my best rival, the best triathlete I’ve ever seen. He had a bad day and I’m sorry for him but he will be back at the top very soon.”

Some outstanding performances put the North East at the head of the medals table at the Sainsbury Schools Games at Don Valley, Sheffield, over the weekend.

Wakefield pole vaulter Abigail Roberts (3.80m) set the tone on the opening day with victory. This was the same as the runner-up but Roberts had fewer failures.

In the boys’ pole vault Adam Hague (Deane ALC) was not seriously challenged as he set a new record of 4.77.

Leeds City’s George Armstrong only had one valid throw in the discus but his 50.49 was enough.

On the track, Kristie Edwards (City of Sheffield) played a captain’s role in winning the 100m in 11.88 while Tom Somers (City of York) capped an outstanding season with an easy win in the 200m in an outstanding time of 21.17.

Other medallists from the North East included: Jacob Fincham-Dukes (Leeds City) 2nd, long jump (6.76(); George Davies (City of York), 2nd, javelin (63.03); Toni Buckingham (Barnsley) 3rd, shot (11.09); Maggie Okul (Kingston upon Hull) 3rd, hammer (41.08); Kate Pattison (Kingston upon Hull) 3rd, discus (39.99).

In the Great City Games in Newcastle on Saturday Luke Cutts (Dearne ALC) won the pole vault with 5.50. Middlesborough long jumper Chris Tomlinson’s 7.83 earned him victory.