Brownlee aims to prove Olympic potential in Yokohama

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, The men's race in Yokohama features a 1.5km swim, 40km bike and 10km run
  • Author, Harry Poole
  • Role, 大象传媒 Sport journalist

World Triathlon Championship Series Yokohama

Venue: Yamashita Park Date: Saturday, 11 May Time: 02:00-07:05 BST

Coverage: 大象传媒 Red Button, 大象传媒 iPlayer and the 大象传媒 Sport website and app.

Jonny Brownlee will aim to demonstrate his fitness at the World Triathlon Championship Series in Yokohama as he bids to secure a place at Paris 2024.

The 34-year-old three-time Olympic medallist is hoping to be selected as part of the British team for this summer's Games.

Having won individual bronze at London 2012 and silver at Rio 2016, Brownlee said he had "completed" the Olympics after helping Team GB to mixed relay gold in Tokyo.

But, despite announcing that Tokyo would be his last Games before a switch to the half-Ironman and Ironman distances, he is determined to compete in Paris.

"I know exactly when [I changed my mind]," Brownlee told 大象传媒 Sport.

"I found out that I had the fastest split for the mixed relay, not just in the British team but across everyone.

"It showed me that I wasn鈥檛 done at that distance and, as long as my body held up, there was no reason I couldn鈥檛 still be competitive in Paris.

"[The next Games] only being three years away also made a difference."

Yokohama is this year's first World Triathlon Championship Series event after the cancellation of the Abu Dhabi races due to severe weather warnings.

That came as a blow to Brownlee, who had intended to race there as he seeks to impress before the final places on the British team are confirmed.

With Abu Dhabi not taking place, the qualification process for the 2024 Olympics, which has a cut-off date of 27 May, will be condensed to Yokohama and Cagliari this month.

Beth Potter and Alex Yee were confirmed as the first two Great Britain triathletes to be selected for Paris in March, with a total of three women and two men set to be included in the team.

Having also missed the supertri-E event due to sickness, Brownlee is eager to compete this weekend and show the fitness levles he believes he has.

"I鈥檓 really looking forward to racing [and the] preparation has been good," Brownlee said.

"I know I鈥檓 fit and I just want to show that I can still be competitive at the top level."

Brownlee will be joined by Hugo Milner in a men's race also featuring Olympic champion Kristian Blummenfelt and world champion Dorian Coninx.

In the women's event, Britons Kate Waugh, Olivia Mathias, Sian Rainsley and Vicky Holland will all also hope to boost their Olympic hopes.

That race will also see Olympic Champion Flora Duffy and Rio 2016 gold medallist Gwen Jorgensen in action.