Jonny Brownlee’s bid to win the World Triathlon Series ended in drama at the final race.
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Brownlee, the Olympic silver medallist at Rio 2016, was leading with around 700 metres to go but started to slow as his legs began to give up on him.
Medical staff were about to take hold of Jonathan when his brother, Alistair, intervened and helped him finish the race.
Jonathan then collapsed, according to reports, and was taken away for medical attention.
Hours after the race Jonathan Brownlee tweeted pictures from his hospital bed and thanked his brother.
Overall series victor was Spain’s Mario Mola who pipped Britain’s Jonathan Brownlee by just four points (4 819 to 4 815) after a season’s frantic racing.
“I’d have done the same thing for anyone in that position”, brother Alistair said after the race.
Jonny second-place step on the podium was left empty while Alistair and Mola heard the Spanish anthem but World Triathlon said this was a precaution.
As Mola caught wind of Brownlee’s condition from his support team, he found a late surge to maintain his top ranking in the standings with a fifth-place finish.
There was a protest against the Brownlees’ finish, but under triathlon rules assistance from other competitors is allowed.
“If he clunks out 1k from the finish line there is no medical support, it is a unsafe position to be in”, he said. I was comfortable in third.
“The competition jury has met and agree with the race referees and officially the results will stand as they are”, the organisation said on Twitter.
“It was a tough race in the heat, and I wasn’t feeling good, sluggish but I kept my cool on the run”, Schoeman told Independent Media on Monday morning. Alistair beat Jonny a month ago to win his second-straight Olympic triathlon gold medal.
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In the women’s race, it was Bermuda’s Flora Duffy, who trains in Rabie’s home town of Stellenbosch, who secured the grand final win.
