Jonathan Brownlee's attempt to win the World Triathlon Series ended in dramatic fashion as he almost collapsed towards the end of the race ©ITU

Great Britain's Jonathan Brownlee's attempt to win the World Championships for the first time ended in dramatic fashion at the International Triathlon Union Grand Final in Cozumel in Mexico.

Brownlee, the Olympic silver medallist at Rio 2016, was leading with around 700 metres to go but started to slow as his legs began to give up on him.

He looked to have stopped at one point but older brother Alistair, the double Olympic gold medallist caught up and assisted his brother over the finish line.

Jonathan then collapsed, according to reports, and was taken away for medical attention.

Following the race, Brownlee was said to be doing a lot better, but was taken to hospital as a precaution.

An appeal was lodged by the Spanish Triathlon Federation to disqualify Brownlee for accepting assistance from his brother to finish the race, however the ITU Competition Jury unanimously ruled against disqualifying him.

"I have been in that position before, when it happened to me in London a few years ago," said Alistair Brownlee.

"I remember being in second place and then coming around and someone telling me I was in tenth.

"I couldn’t remember all of those people passing me.

"So I swore that, literally if it happened to anyone I would help them across the line. 

"Obviously the World Series is a big race, but I just had to do what was right in that situation.”

South Africa's Olympic bronze medallist Henri Schoeman swept past Brownlee to win the race, with Alistair finishing third, a second behind his brother having partly carried him for the final few metres.

The win was Schoeman's first ever on the World Triathlon Series tour and it meant the same three athletes filled the medal positions as Rio 2016, although in a different order. 

Henri Schoeman won the ITU Grand Final in dramatic fashion after the race leader, Britain's Jonathan Brownlee, nearly collapsed in the closing stages and needed to be helped over the line by his brother Alistair ©ITU
Henri Schoeman won the ITU Grand Final in dramatic fashion after the race leader, Britain's Jonathan Brownlee, nearly collapsed in the closing stages and needed to be helped over the line by his brother Alistair ©ITU

Brownlee's second placed finish meant that Spain's Mario Mola snatched the series title by the slimmest of margins.

As Mola caught wind of Brownlee's condition from his support team, he found a late surge to maintain his top ranking in the standings with a fifth-place finish.

That meant Brownlee finished in second-place overall.

Another Spaniard, Fernando Alarza, claimed the bronze medal in the overall standings.

"First of all this was not how I wanted to win the World Championship," said Mola.

"I thought, well I’m going to be second again, but at least I will fight until the end.

"When I heard Jonny wasn’t feeling well, I thought, ‘I need to fight to the end’.

"We want everyone to be safe after the finish line, it’s not the way I wanted it, but that’s triathlon."