Brownlee brothers qualify for 2012

Alistair Brownlee completes his victory yesterday (GETTY IMAGES)

European champion Alistair Brownlee won the men's race of the London triathlon yesterday, completing a British double on the Hyde Park course for next year's Olympics.

Brownlee, 23, was in a leading group of four by the end of the cycle route past Buckingham Palace. He surged clear over the 10-kilometre run to cross the line in 1hr 50min 9sec – his third win from five World Championship Series events.

A day after Britain's Helen Jenkins won the women's race on the course, Brownlee finished 25 seconds ahead of Russia's Alexander Bryukhankov to meet the selection criteria for 2012.

Brownlee's brother, Jonathan, another 30 seconds back in third, also reached qualifying standard.