The first names announced for Team England at this summer’s Commonwealth Games were triathletes Jonny Brownlee, Georgia Taylor-Brown, Alex Yee and Sophie Coldwell, with triathlon also the first medal set to be awarded at the Games. Here’s what they had to say about selection and racing at home in Birmingham.

Jonny Brownlee

“Birmingham will be a big focus for me next season and I am determined to show I can be competitive in what will be my third Commonwealth Games. Racing at home will be an advantage – the crowds were brilliant in Glasgow, I think they’ll be even better in Birmingham.

“I had a change of heart after the relay in Tokyo and so I am really pleased, and surprised, to be selected. We’re very, very fortunate to have the stage to showcase mixed relay on and I‘m looking forward to racing in Birmingham.”

Birmingham will be Brownlee’s third Commonwealth Games having previously raced and medalled at both Glasgow 2014 and Gold Coast 2018.

In Glasgow, the athlete from Leeds finished as runner up to older brother Alistair as England recorded a one-two before teaming up with his brother, Jodie Stimpson and Vicky Holland to win gold as mixed relay made its Commonwealth Games debut.

Four years later, mixed relay once again provided Brownlee with medal success as Team England won silver in Australia, finishing behind the host nation.

Having won gold in the relay in Tokyo last year as well as finishing fifth in the individual race, Brownlee earned his selection to race at home again, having won bronze at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Georgia Taylor-Brown

“The fact that it’s a home Commonwealth Games is even more exciting because all my family and friends are going to be there that wouldn’t usually be able to watch me in a race.

“When I watched the London Olympics and how the crowd really got behind everyone, I thought it was quite sad that that may never happen again in my lifetime, so to be able to be at a home Games for the Commonwealth Games is quite incredible and something you’ll cherish and relish in as the crowds will really get behind you.

“Once we'd won our medals at the Olympics, I think it was Alex that said, 'it’s cool that we’re now selected for the Commonwealth Games', so that was a nice surprise, not only do we get an Olympic medal, but we’re also selected for Birmingham. I’m quite excited about it.”

Originally from Manchester and training in Leeds, Taylor-Brown will be making her Commonwealth Games debut in Birmingham having returned from her debut Olympic Games a double medallist.

The 2020 World Champion returned from Tokyo with a silver in the individual race and gold in the mixed relay alongside Brownlee, Yee and Jess Learmonth having recovered from injury just in time to compete.

Over the last few years, Taylor-Brown has been a consistent medallist at events across the world, finishing world series bronze medallist in both 2018 and 2019 before being crowned world champion following the one-off championship race in Hamburg in 2020.

Alex Yee

“I’m really excited. For us to be able to race in a home championship for the first time after such an awful time with Covid. It’s only an hour away from where I’m training now so hopefully it’ll be a really good spectacle.

“For me I’ve always dreamed of racing in the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games, so for me I’m really proud and it’s such an extra bonus that it’s in England. Racing in front of a crowd, my friends and family, and hopefully inspire some people to take up our great sport.

“I really feel like a product of the 2012 Olympics and that being a home Games and having that on my doorstep was incredibly special. I hope I can do the same for people back home in England, but also in South London more personally.”

Similarly to Taylor-Brown, Yee also returned from Tokyo with individual silver and team gold and will be making his Commonwealth Games debut this summer.

Londoner Yee took the tape to win on home soil in 2021, coming out on top at AJ Bell 2021 World Triathlon Championship Series Leeds in a race that ultimately led to his selection for the Olympic Games last year.

Having started off competing in triathlon with Crystal Palace Triathletes, Yee has risen through the ranks of British Triathlon’s pathway and developed with one of the strongest run legs in the sport.

Sophie Coldwell

“I was out in Gold Coast in 2018 and that was a learning experience for me and going into this Games, I hopefully can put myself in with a shot of winning a medal.

“I think that knowing how strong Team England is, I knew that selection was going to be hard. Before Abu Dhabi I thought I’m never going to make this, this is ridiculous. To be selected that far out was amazing but also it made me quite speechless because I really didn’t think I’d be able to achieve that selection that far out.

“Knowing that it’s a home Games, it’s literally 45 minutes away from us, so it’s so nice that so many friends and family have already said they’re going to be there. I can’t wait to be there and, after Covid as well, to have everyone there to watch us will just make it even more special.

“We had a taste of that in Leeds last year, there wasn’t the numbers that there normally are, but even just having those people on the finishing straight was amazing and seeing friendly faces, that’s what you need to get you to the end.”

Returning for her second Games, Coldwell travelled to Tokyo as a reserve athlete, however podium finishes at AJ Bell 2021 World Triathlon Championship Series Leeds and 2021 World Triathlon Championship Series Abu Dhabi saw the triathlete from Nottingham selected to compete at home in 2022.

In 2018 in the Gold Coast she finished sixth. Approaching the Games as an experience-building opportunity, she left Australia determined to return to the Commonwealth Games as a medal-winning athlete.

Coldwell, like Yee, has been involved in the sport from a young age before making her way through the pathway.

When

Triathlon will be the first medal event of the Games, with men’s and women’s individual triathlon taking place on the first day of competition, Friday 29 July.

On Sunday 31 July, PTVI paratriathlon, for athletes with a visual impairment and their guides, will make its Commonwealth Games debut. Also taking place on the second day of triathlon competition will be mixed relay triathlon where two men and two women will line up for their nation.

Where

Sutton Park will be the venue for all triathlon and paratriathlon racing during Birmingham 2022, with the swim taking place in Powell’s Pool.

The bike leg will see athletes start in the park and race along the local streets of Boldmere and Oscott before returning to the park for multiple laps. The final element will see them run entirely within Sutton Park before heading to the finish back by Powell’s Pool.

Individual triathlon and paratriathlon distances: 750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run

Mixed relay triathlon distances: 300m swim, 5km bike, 2km run (per athlete)