Early Life and Education
Brownlee was educated at Bradford Grammar School, a co-educational independent school in the city of Bradford in Yorkshire, followed by Girton College, Cambridge, where he started a medicine degree. After just the first eight-week term, Brownlee decided to leave and instead went to the University of Leeds, where he gained a degree in Sports Science and Physiology in 2010. He is now studying for an MSc in Finance at Leeds Metropolitan University.
Brownlee was introduced to triathlon at a young age by his uncle, Simon Hearnshaw, who regularly competed in the sport. As a junior, he was a successful fell and cross country runner, coming second in the Junior English Cross Country Championships and winning the Yorkshire County title on several occasions.
In 2006, Brownlee left Girton College, Cambridge where he was reading medicine, to move back to Yorkshire, focus on triathlon and study at the University of Leeds. He is a member of the triathlon club based at Leeds Metropolitan University's Carnegie High Performance centre, and is coached by Carnegie Director of Sport Malcolm Brown, and in swimming by Jack Maitland.
Brownlee has two brothers, Edward and Jonathan. His younger brother Jonathan is also a triathlete, and won the bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics.
Read more about this topic: Alistair Brownlee
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