Spain’s Javier Gomez clinched the triathlon world series title after finishing third in the final race of the season in Edmonton, Canada on Sunday.
British Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee, whose year has been disrupted by injury, took victory by 20 seconds but his brother Jonathan could only finish fourth to slip to third in the overall standings.
Spaniard Mario Mola came second in the last race to climb to second place in the overall standings behind his compatriot Gomez who claimed a record-equalling fourth world title.
“It’s just amazing,” Gomez told reporters.
“I’m really happy after a very tough week. I gave my best and I’m happy with my third place – it did the job.”
Gomez, 31, equalled the record of Briton Simon Lessing who won four world titles in the 1990s.
Alistair Brownlee held on to win on Sunday in 1:44:44, while Mola edged Gomez by three seconds in a sprint for second place.
“The last two laps of the run were the longest 5km I’ve ever run,” Alistair Brownlee said.
“It’s been a dodgy few years to be honest. I’m delighted now to be Olympic champion, European champion, Commonwealth champion and grand final champion. It’s all the biggest single day races.”
Jonathan Brownlee revealed he had not been at 100 per cent entering the event and admitted that proved his undoing.
“I’ve been pretty sick since Stockholm. In the race I just felt weak. I knew on the bike that something wasn’t right.
“I didn’t really have it on the first hill,” he said.
“Fair play to Javier, he covered everything in the race. He’s been a good world champion this year.
“He started well and he fought well for it here.”
Record-equalling feat
Also last weekend in Edmonton, seasoned American triathlete Gwen Jorgensen was crowned as the new ITU women’s world champion after a record-equalling fifth win of the season as Britain’s Jodie Stimpson missed out on the top three.
Jorgensen lifted the pace on the third lap of the run to break through and claim victory in two hours and five seconds at the series grand final.
Her nap-hand of race wins is unprecedented in the women’s event, with Alistair Brownlee the only other athlete to achieve the feat in a World Triathlon Series.
“I don’t think it’s really sunk in at all, I just want to thank everyone that has helped me so much,” Jorgensen said afterwards.
“I didn’t really execute too well in the swim and first lap of the bike I got a little nervous and let that get to me.
“In the end, I just had to try and reel it back in.”
Compatriot Sarah Groff was second overall after a fourth-placed finish on the day, while New Zealand’s Andrea Hewitt crossed the line second to secure third place for the season.
Stimpson, a double Commonwealth Games gold medallist for England, was fourth in the season’s rankings.