Former physics teacher Beth Potter has no care for established laws and ignited her pursuit of Paris 2024 from a McDonald’s in the shadow of the Maracana.   

The steely Scot, 31, secured her spot at a second Olympic Games after a golden year that saw her crowned world triathlon champion for the first time.   

Potter competed at Rio 2016 as a 10,000m runner but turned to triathlon a year later, training alongside the all-conquering Brownlee brothers who first inspired her to take up the sport.   

“When Jonny collapsed and Alistair carried him across the line, I thought, ‘I want to do that sport,’” said Potter, referencing a surreal finish to a World Triathlon Series event in late 2016.

“It was such a moment of sportsmanship and brotherly love, and I wanted to go and train with them and thought about how I could get there.” 

The seed was already planted by that stage. Just six days after she finished 34th in the 10,000m event, Potter felt an awakening while watching the Brownlee’s light up Brazil.  

“I watched them in Rio while sat drinking out of a coconut on the Copacabana,” the Glaswegian recalled.   

“I then met two of the coaches in McDonald’s and spoke about the opportunity of going up to Leeds which is where it sparked.   

“I always thought about it and I think some people wanted me to do it earlier than I did, but I wanted to see how good I could get on the track first.”  

With Jonny facing a fight to make the start line and Alistair retired from Olympic triathlon competition, next year’s Games could be the first without either brother since 2004.   

Their legacy lives on through Potter, who has not been shy in plucking their brains in an attempt to boost her Olympic bid.   

“I train a lot with them and I’ve always said if you surround yourself with those kinds of people, then you will achieve really good things,” she said.  

“They turn up whatever the weather and get the job done. If you have that in training it feeds into consistency in races and I feel like that was starting to shine through in my performances last year.”  

Double Olympic medallist Alex Yee joined Potter in booking a place at next year's Games, and both are strongly backed for medal success.   

Potter put the finishing touches to a glittering year in September when she claimed the final World Triathlon Championship Series event of the season, a victory which has fuelled her belief that she can repeat the trick in the French capital.   

“I believe I am one of the favourites now,” added Potter, who will be one of hundreds of British athletes supported by Aldi, the Official Supermarket Partner of Team GB and ParalympicsGB,   

“Ironically, winning the world title has taken the pressure off a little bit. I know I’m good enough to do it. Going into next year, I feel a bit more relaxed about it.  

“My psychologist said to me going into Pontevedra: ‘You’re there now.’   

“There’s a whole list of other problems that come with being number one, so we’ll tackle them this winter. Being at the top is great, but staying there is harder.” 

Aldi is the home of fresh affordable eating, proud partners of Team GB & ParalympicsGB fuelling athletes through to Paris 2024