During his seven-and-a-half years at British Triathlon, Brook led a period of considerable growth for triathlon in the UK, attracting major funding, modernising the sports governance, and building systems and structures to support the sport from grassroots participation to elite performance.

 

He moved to live in Cape Town for family reasons at the start of 2008 after announcing his resignation from British Triathlon September 2007.

 

He said: “Triathlon is not as well established in South Africa as it is in the UK.

 

"The challenge here in the Western Province is to make the sport accessible to more people, to encourage recreational participation and to change the demographics of the sport by attracting more participants from a non-white background.

 

“Open water swimming, cycling and running are popular activities here, yet participation in triathlon remains low.

 

"Other forms of multi-sport attract wider participation, so the opportunity exists to grow the sport. We just need to work out how to make the sport attractive to a wider audience.

 

“There are currently no junior or University clubs in the province and there is also no talent programme.

 

"Growing clubs and identifying and supporting talent will become priorities for the Western Province Committee along with the need to engage the previously disadvantaged Black African community.”

 

Cape Town has become a popular warm weather training destination for some of the world's best triathletes and coaches.

 

Brook hopes that future visitors will support the development of triathlon in South Africa.