All Roads Lead to Leeds

It's been the epicentre triathlon for more than a decade, but what makes Leeds so special? And after the triumphs of the Brownlees and heights of the World Triathlon Series races, can the city sustain its track record of success? Tim Heming heads to Yorkshire to find out

- Words: Tim Heming. Image: Janos M Schmidt

One of the things I remember vividly is being at the John Charles 5om pool supporting Jack coach. A woman in the lane next to us kept looking up at our board and was clearly doing our session. I said to Jack: 'I think she wants to have a crack at triathlon.' Iasked what her name was. The reply? Jess Learmonth.

Malcolm Brown is chatting coaching philosophies in the West Park Lounge on the Otley Road, opposite Alison Rose's clinic. Rose, a physiotherapist also integral to the Leeds triathlon success story, will be lauded frequently on this visit as the best in the world.

When 220 arrives he's chosen a window seat where occasionally a runner or cyclist will pass and you can sense a mind that spent the majority of 45 years coaching for the love of it” whirring. His tale about Learmonth, the Olympic gold medallist from Tokyo, illustrates the coaching ethos that he and Jack Maitland instilled since Brown first arrived from Queen's University Belfast in 2002.

Open borders. No boundaries. Nothing closed in. The overarching vision was to be the best Olympic triathlon centre in the world, but do it in a way which was inclusive and open.Jack and I felt they complemented each other as objectives. It was a practical view of sports development, the inspirational effect of the boy or girl next door training alongside you and attracting others from Leeds and beyond.