Taylor-Brown takes superb silver on home soil at the AJ Bell 2022 World Triathlon Championship Series Leeds

Imperious Georgia Taylor-Brown brushed off a “really rubbish” start to continue her flawless form and take second at the AJ Bell 2022 World Triathlon Championship Series Leeds.

The Olympic silver medallist won in Yokohama in May and maintained her position at the top of the World Series standings with a second successive podium after powering through the field during the run.

Taylor-Brown shared the stage with compatriot Sophie Coldwell who matched her efforts from 12 months ago by taking third despite having led for large portions of the race as France’s Cassandre Beaugrand proved too strong for the British duo even with a late 10-second time penalty for mounting her bike before the line.

The result brought much-needed cheer for the home crowd, who had earlier witnessed Alex Yee and Jonny Brownlee crash out on the bike during the men’s race.

Manchester-born Taylor-Brown, 28, said: “It was really, really hard today. I had a really rubbish start, so I just had to make sure that didn’t get to me. I just had to think, ‘Okay we are over that now, let’s move on and just try and work hard throughout.’

“The bike didn’t really get moving but Sophie was incredible at the front, she was just pulling more and more time away. I thought ‘Oh god, that is ridiculous!’

“I’m so proud of Soph today, and it’s so nice to share the podium with another Brit.”

Taylor-Brown battled through the swim in Waterloo Lake but pinpointed her transition onto the bike as a key stumbling block that set her back early in the race.

“I had a bit of a rubbish swim. I got smacked around a lot and coming into the finish I moved back quite a few places because there was a lot of people coming on top of each other there,” explained Taylor-Brown, who emerged from