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Three Olympics, three golds, eight medals – a look at GB’s triathlon dominance

Great Britain’s success in Olympic triathlon has continued in Tokyo with three medals, including gold as the mixed relay made its Games debut.

Britain is now the most successful nation in the 21-year history of the sport at the Olympics with eight medals, all won at the last three Games.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the triathlon medal rush.

London 2012

Alistair (left) and Jonny Brownlee hold up their Olympic medals
Alistair (left) and Jonny Brownlee hold up their Olympic medals (Mike Egerton/PA)

British chances had been rated highly in the first three editions of Olympic triathlon without success but Alistair Brownlee went into his home Games as the big favourite and did not disappoint, storming round Hyde Park to win gold.

His young brother Jonny clinched bronze behind Javier Gomez of Spain but there was disappointment in the women’s race, where Helen Jenkins was compromised by injury and finished fifth.

Rio 2016

More medals for the brothers, this time gold and silver
More medals for the brothers, this time gold and silver (Mike Egerton/PA)

Alistair Brownlee remained the biggest star in triathlon and he produced another masterful performance around Copacabana to become the first triathlete to win two Olympic titles.

This time Jonny took silver behind him, with the brothers in a race of their own, while Vicky Holland claimed the first triathlon medal for a British woman by taking bronze.

Tokyo 2020

Alex Yee, Georgia Taylor-Brown Jess Learmonth and Jonny Brownlee took gold in Tokyo
Alex Yee, Georgia Taylor-Brown Jess Learmonth and Jonny Brownlee took gold in Tokyo (Danny Lawson/PA)

Alistair Brownlee failed to qualify and Jonny finished fifth but Britain hailed a new star in 23-year-old Alex Yee, who was outmuscled for gold by Kristian Blummenfelt of Norway but showed what makes him such an exciting talent.

That was matched by 27-year-old Georgia Taylor-Brown, who recovered from a leg injury to take the start-line and also suffered a puncture but outran everyone except Bermudian Flora Duffy.

Britain went into the mixed relay as favourites and justified that status impressively, leading from the start and surviving a late moment of concern when Yee was caught on the bike by France’s Vincent Luis, with the young Kent athlete running clear for gold.