Jonny Brownlee set to move out and up as he closes in on world triathlon title Three seasons after graduating into the seniors, Jonny is finding it almost as hard to keep up with his armour-plated brother as everyone else. Now 22, he has yet to win a head-to-head contest when they are both fully fit. But that may partly be an issue of mindset. Once the brothers pull their wetsuits on, they work as a team. As the London Olympics approached, the organisers were so worried that they would cross the line together that they threatened to separate them by photo finish. "We're far more competitive about playing board games together than we are about triathlon," Jonny says. We don't fall out about triathlon because it's too serious: we can't really afford to. Whereas there's plenty of chat when we're playing Monopoly, or Buckaroo. It is an arresting image: two of the world's finest endurance athletes in the world sledging each other over a game intended for four year-olds. But then, despite their academic gifts (Alistair won a place at Cambridge University, while Jonny has a degree in history from Leeds), there is something very down-to-earth about them. At least, until they pull on their running shoes and seem to take wing. One of the most memorable images of the Games was that of Alistair skipping down Constitution Hill, his feet touching the ground so lightly that the Greeks would have called him Hermes. He finished the 10,000-metre course in an extraordinary 29 min 07 sec, just 90 seconds outside the time that Mo Farah ran in the Olympic Stadium, which even sparked suggestions that he might convert to track and field. While Alistair was burning up Hyde Park, Jonny was not far behind - until he was required to step into the penalty box for 15 seconds as a punishment for mounting his bike fractionally early. This was the first time he had been penalised during a race, and the stress may have contributed to his dramatic collapse at the finish line. The presentation ceremony was delayed for an hour while he received medical treatment. "It was pretty stressful," says Jonny now, "because I found out about the penalty 10km into the bike, so I had 30km to think about it. A home Olympics is a once-in-a-lifetime chance, and as you get towards the end, you just run as hard as you can, because you don't want to regret it afterwards. It was such a special day. Nothing will ever match racing in front of half a million people. The only sad thing is that I don't remember too much after the race. At the finish I just collapsed and had to spend 60 minutes in a tent. I had dreamt about the medal ceremony for so long, but when it actually happened it went past very quickly. I was a bit numb. At least there has been plenty to enjoy since, starting with a raucous homecoming parade in Leeds. And then there are the gifts that keep arriving, including a karaoke machine and even a small cash donation. "This old man sent a note saying, "Well done, here's £10, don't send it back." There wasn't a return address in any case. But it was a lovely thing to do. Amid the popular admiration and the never-ending workload, there is little time for a personal life. Alistair does have a "very understanding" girlfriend - in his words - who puts up with his early starts and irregular mealtimes. But Jonny is single. "I'm too busy," he said. You're pretty tired a lot of the time and you don't want to go to the cinema. Now I'm looking forward to moving into the new house. I only got the keys about a week before the flight to New Zealand. When I get back, I'll be painting and moving the furniture around. And - if all goes right at the weekend - inviting his brother round to show off his shiny new trophy.