Olympic Gold Medalist Alistair Brownlee to Race in Beijing International Triathlon on September 11

BEIJING – (September 1, 2016) – IMG, the global sports, events, media and fashion company, in partnership with the Fengtai Sports Bureau of Beijing, announced that recent Olympic gold medalist Alistair Brownlee from Great Britain will compete in the Fifth Annual Beijing International Triathlon, on Sunday, September 11, in the Fengtai District of Beijing, China. Great Britain’s back-to-back Olympic gold medalist made history in Rio; he is the first triathlete to ever defend his Olympic title, having won gold in London in 2012.

This will be Brownlee’s first race since winning the gold in Rio, as well as his first time competing in the Beijing International Triathlon. He placed 12th in his first Olympics in Beijing 2008, then returned to Beijing in 2011 to win his second world title. Brownlee is also a two-time Triathlon World Champion (2009 and 2011); three-time European Champion (2010, 2011 and 2014); and current Commonwealth Champion.

“I am looking forward to racing at Beijing International Triathlon and the challenge of the non-drafting format,” said Brownlee. “I think it will be a tough race against a quality field, especially as I don’t usually race the non-drafting format. I have always enjoyed racing in China and have fond memories from my two previous visits.”

Brownlee will lead an elite field of professional triathletes including fellow Olympians Joe Maloy, Ashleigh Gentle, Vicente Hernandez and Barbara Riveros. The Beijing International Triathlon will also be a return to China for Riveros who just captured fifth for Chile at the Rio Olympics, and also raced in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The prestigious race has become a must for professional triathletes since its inception in 2012, attracting racers from across the globe. From South America to Australia, this year’s Beijing International Triathlon will welcome pro triathletes from four continents including returning top names, as well as several new faces.

Professional triathletes participating in the 2016 Beijing International Triathlon include:

Men:

• Josh Amberger (Australia)
• Greg Bennett (Australia)
• Alistair Brownlee (Great Britain) – 1st in Rio
• Kevin Collington (United States of America)
• Cameron Dye (United States of America)
• Eric Lagerstrom (United States of America)
• Joe Maloy (United States of America) – 23rd in Rio
• Vicente Hernandez (Spain) – 27th in Rio

Women:

• Ashleigh Gentle (Australia) – 26th in Rio
• Lauren Goss (United States of America)
• Holly Lawrence (Great Britain)
• Barbara Riveros (Chile) – 5th in Rio
• Magali Tisseyre (Canada)
• Radka Vodickova (Czech Republic)

The Beijing International Triathlon is owned by the Fengtai Sports Bureau of Beijing and produced by IMG. For additional information, visit http://ift.tt/WKqMyI or follow at http://ift.tt/2a99bqP, http://ift.tt/2aa5g0c and http://www.twitter.com/Beijing_Tri.

About Fengtai

The Beijing International Triathlon will primarily take place within the Wang Zuo County, in the Fengtai District, with a history that dates back to 221 BC. With a population of 2.1 million, the Fengtai District is located in Southwest Beijing at the foot of the Western Hills, by the Yong Ding River. Dating back to the Liao and Jin Dynasties, the Fengtai District was the location of the Imperial City. Racers, family and friends visiting the area will be treated to several of China’s most famous sites including the 900 year old Lotus Pool; the Lu Gou Bridge (Marco Polo Bridge) that dates back 800 years and the Wan Ping Fortress from the 17th century.

About IMG

IMG is a global leader in sports, events, media and fashion, operating in more than 30 countries. The company represents and manages some of the world’s greatest sports figures and fashion icons; stages hundreds of live events and branded entertainment experiences annually; and is one of the largest independent producers and distributors of sports media. IMG also specializes in sports training; league development; and marketing, media and licensing for brands, sports organizations and collegiate institutions. In 2014, IMG was acquired by WME, a leading global entertainment agency.

Contact:

DeeDee Taft/Shelbi Okumura
Spin Communications
415/380-8390
deedee@spinpr.com, shelbi@spinpr.com

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