Triathlon stars Alistair and Jonny Brownlee’s all-conquering record should strike fear into the hearts of their rivals when they line up at the Olympics tomorrow. (July 7)
Anne Milne, though, can remember when the Leeds brothers were still taking their first tentative steps in the world of sport.
Anne was Alistair and Jonny’s PE teacher during their time as pupils at Richmond House School in Far Headingley in the late 1990s.
And she says the will to win that has carried them to the top of their sport was evident even at a young age.
Anne told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “They were always extremely competitive, that’s for sure.
“They were both particularly strong swimmers and I remember they did very well in the swimming galas at school.
“They also competed in the Leeds schools cross country and they raced very well in that too.”
Anne, who now teaches at a school in London, has been one of the army of volunteers helping make sure the Olympics runs smoothly.
But she will still find time in her busy schedule to cheer on her old charges tomorrow.
She said: “I’ll be glued to the television watching them – I’ll be shouting at the TV, I think, encouraging them to do their best!”
Alistair, 24, is a two-time world champion and a double European title winner.
His 22-year-old brother is the sport’s world number two.
The Bramhope-based pair’s bid to swim, cycle and run their way to Olympic glory gets under way in London’s Hyde Park at 11.30am tomorrow.
Local athletes set for action in London today include boxer Nicola Adams, 1,500m runner Laura Weightman and diver Jack Laugher.
* Headingley-based marketing agency Intermarketing’s retail team has created an eye-catching window installation at top London department store Harrods that will be in place throughout the Games.
Put together for sports brand Adidas, the installation stretches across 16 individual windows and spans the length of the Hans Crescent side of the store.
It features striking images of top athletes such as Jess Ennis, Phillips Idowu and the Brownlee brothers alongside words that aim to sum up what the Olympics mean to each of them.
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