Olympic champ Brownlee retires

DOUBLE Olympic triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee has announced his retirement.

- CARL MARKHAM

The 36-year-old Yorkshireman became the first triathlete to successfully defend his Olympic title when he won gold in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, four years after triumphing on home soil in London.

"It's time to close this chapter... This marks transition from professional triathlon, a my moment approached with both dread and excitement in equal measure," Brownlee, whose first key title came in winning the 2006 Junior wrote on social media.

"Triathlon has shaped my life; I have dedicated nearly half of it to being a professional athlete, fulfilling my childhood dream and achieving far more than I ever dared to imagine.

European Duathlon, "Why now? It feels right. I am happy and content, eager for what lies ahead. I find myself smiling because it happened, rather than crying because it's over (to paraphrase Dr. Seuss)."