British triathletes disqualified for crossing finish line together at Olympic qualification event

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London, August 15: Great Britain duo Jess Learmonth and Georgia Taylor-Brown's unselfishness backfired when they were disqualified from a World Triathlon Olympic qualification event in Tokyo for crossing the line together.

Learmonth and Taylor-Brown came away from the rest of the field and finished a race, which was shortened due to the heat, hand-in-hand with broad smiles on their faces on Thursday.

Their joy was short-lived, though, as they were punished for causing a deliberate tie in the Tokyo 2020 test event.

Flora Duffy of Bermuda was subsequently awarded an unexpected victory, with Alice Betto taking silver for Italy and Vicky Holland ensuring there was one Brit on the podium.

Holland is quoted by BBC Sport as saying: "I really feel for Jess and Georgia because they raced exceptionally well today and I feel like they absolutely smashed it and deserved the first and second finish.

"I don't know how British Triathlon will choose things now. I wouldn't want to be a selector."

British Triathlon national performance director Mike Cavendish said: "It's obviously disappointing to have Jess and Georgia disqualified but it's a testament to the depth of our female squad that we still have another athlete on the podium."