Alex Yee: Why Britain’s fastest marathon runner is sticking with triathlon
Alex Yee insists he will keep following his heart and return to his first love, triathlon, despite the financial possibilities opened up by his breakthrough marathon performance last month.
The two-time Olympic champion in swim-bike-run clocked 2:06:38 in Valencia in December, the second fastest 26.2-mile time by a Briton, behind only Sir Mo Farah.
Yee could plausibly earn more by pursuing running full-time – the world’s top marathoners command six-figure race fees – but the Londoner is happy to park those thoughts for now.
“I think definitely trying to be the most authentic person that I can be is the way I get the best out of myself, and the way I keep the longevity of my career,” he says.
“So hopefully that is the best way for me. And of course we have to make money and be able to fund the lifestyle to be professional athletes. But I feel like I’m in a fortunate position now. I’m able to kind of dictate what I want to do as a result of my success.”
For Yee, that means resuming his focus on triathlon as he steps up a bid to defend his solo Olympic triathlon title at the LA 2028 Games.
That will see him race on home soil in July, when the World Triathlon Championship Series lands in London after a long hiatus, 14 years after a teenage Yee lined the streets to see his heroes, the Brownlee brothers, race at the 2012 Olympics.
Triathlon’s answer to London Marathon
The elite race will be part of a weekend of triathlon activity that is now an annual occasion, and one that its organisers, the PTO, hope can emulate the popularity of the London Marathon.
“Things like the London Marathon, they almost stand on their own two feet as their own big event. And I think that hopefully the London triathlon can do a similar thing,” Yee says.
“It’s been going for a long time and I think the invigoration of [PTO circuit] T100 and others to refresh that is going to be really exciting and allows the London Marathon and us to compete alongside.
“To get to that one start line I think is really special, and I feel that every time at a marathon. And I hope we can create those same emotions within our sport as well.”
The London race will be rebranded next year as part of a long-term collaboration between World Triathlon and the PTO designed in part to make the sport easier to understand.
That partnership could also see further races, at the PTO’s trademark 100km distance, added to the Summer Olympic programme from as soon as Brisbane 2032.
“I think that any opportunity for triathlon to be put in the spotlight is great, and I think it’s a very exciting format,” says Yee.
“It’s very different to what we do [Olympic distance is 50km]. So yeah, I’m open to the idea. Having never raced it, I can’t really comment too much on the racing dynamics but, as a fan, it’s exciting to watch.”