“I was bribed into starting swimming with the promise of sweets and by ...” — Alistair Brownlee Quote

“I was bribed into starting swimming with the promise of sweets and by being told that you can win medals. My mum had given me a bag of medals which she had won when she was young, so the idea of winning medals was very exciting.”

“We're proud Yorkshiremen: we grew up fell running, and we still do it whenever we can. I did my first fell race when I was 11. It was a Tuesday night race called the Bunny Run, on a windswept moor above Haworth, and the prize was a chocolate egg.”

“We are quite different: I'm relaxed, and I get ready for races really late, whereas Jonny is really organised and punctual. I like to lead from the front in the run, whereas Jonny might hold back. Maybe it's because I'm the older brother, but I don't think there is a mental block that stops Jonny doing the same. I just think I'm a bit more gung-ho.”

“My sleeping bag is affixed to a wall and I climb inside and sort of float around in the sleeping bag at night while I'm sleeping.”

“Everybody knows I wear a lot of black. When I pack, my whole bag is nothing but black, but sometimes, I have, like, a few pieces that are white, but it's rare.”

“My left eye went when I was young. I was working the speed bag, and some steel went in the eye and scratched it to pieces. I was kinda blind in that eye.”