Triathlon triumph could be family affair

Olympic triathlons are notoriously hard to predict but a pair of sinewy British brothers have become so dominant, the biggest argument is over which one will finish first in London.

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Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee, who grew up fell-running and cycling in their hilly home county of Yorkshire, were first and second in last year's world championship and this year, they're at it again.

Younger brother Jonathan, 22, won world triathlon races in San Diego and Madrid, before being beaten into second in Kitzbuehel by Alistair, 24, in June, as the world champion returned successfully from an achilles injury.

Alistair's seventh victory in his past nine International Triathlon Union (ITU) races, by 49 seconds from his brother, firmly re-established him as the gold medal favourite at Hyde Park on August 7.

"Races never go to plan, I never really have a race plan these days," the two-time world champion said, according to the ITU website.

"It's nice to be back on the podium and it is fantastic that we got a one-two. That's what we always aim to get and it's a special day," he added.

Earlier in June, the two registered a joint victory at a smaller event near Oxford where they crossed the finish line together.

Britain are also tipped for the women's gold in the form of Wales's Helen Jenkins, who won last year in London en route to the world title, and has finished second and first in her two ITU races this year.

Jenkins, who is coached by her husband, Marc, disappointingly slumped to 21st in the heat and humidity of Beijing in 2008, just two months after winning the world championships in Vancouver.

She will have to fend off competition from Australia's 2008 bronze medallist Emma Moffatt, Erin Densham and Emma Jackson as well as New Zealand's Andrea Hewitt and Nicola Spirig, the European champion from Switzerland.

However Jenkins, as well as the Brownlees, will be keenly aware that in its short Olympic history, triathlon has thrown up some unexpected winners.

When the gruelling splash, spin and dash -- a 1.5-kilometre (one mile) swim, 40-kilometre bike ride, and 10-kilometre run -- debuted in 2000, Australians were supposed to take centre-stage at the Sydney Opera House course.

But in the event, Switzerland's Brigitte McMahon outshone the hosts to win the women's race, and Canadian outsider Simon Whitfield took the men's title.

Four years later, Austria's Kate Allen was the surprise women's winner in Athens, while Hamish Carter and Bevan Docherty took gold and silver for New Zealand in the men's competition.

At Beijing 2008, Germany's Jan Frodeno came from nowhere to pip Whitfield for gold after Alistair Brownlee's early challenge faded, while Emma Snowsill finally claimed a first Olympic triathlon title for Australia.

The event has been hit by selection wrangles, with Snowsill unsuccessfully appealing her omission from Australia's team.

And Britain's Liz Blatchford blasted the policy of picking "domestiques", or support runners, after she missed out despite being ranked third for her country on the international standings.