Brownlee brothers relive an iconic moment as they share how being an elite athlete translates to saving money

It's 2016, and Jonny Brownlee is exhausted.

Metres from the finish line in Triathlon World Series in Mexico, the 26-year-old is in the lead, but the heat and humidity is beginning to take its toll.

Grimacing, Jonny's run slows to a walk, and then a stagger. In the unforgiving 35 degree heat, at 90 per cent humidity, Jonny is starting to lose control.

As South African triathlete Henri Schoeman passes him, the race looks run. That is, until a familiar hand wraps itself around his arm, pulling him towards the final stretch.

Hooking Jonny's arm over his neck, his older brother Alistair wills the duo onwards, sacrificing his own chances of catching Schoeman.

'I didn't realise what was happening and was more annoyed that Alistair was pushing me towards the line,' Jonny tells This is Money, reliving the race.

But for Alistair, there was no doubt about his actions.

He said: 'When I came around the corner and saw Jonny was struggling, I knew I had to help him. It was a tough race but we both had to keep pushing and persisting.'

It's this kind of support that the brothers are now looking to promote when it comes to money management.

Alongside Natwest, the brothers have launched an initiative to help young people build positive savings habits.

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Jonny said: 'It wasn't until I woke up in hospital in Mexico later that day that I realised what had happened.

'It is so important that your family and those around can support you with advice and support for saving, as we have all been there before.

'Just as we were there to motivate each other crossing the finish line, we can also assist each other in making good financial decisions.

'It is important to remember the end goal and keep working towards that, despite any hurdles that may arise.'

But younger people are in danger of losing sight of their goals.

Some 25 per cent of those under the age of 35 have less than £500 saved, according to data from Natwest.

This is where the Brownlees come in.

The brother have teamed up with Natwest to launch 'Couch to Cash: the £5K Challenge' to help young people build monthly savings habits.

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The challenge encourages young people to set a savings goal - which can be less than £5,000 - and then offers them tools such as spending round-up feature on their account and budgeting tips to help them meet it.

The Brownlee brothers said: 'We know it's difficult for young people to save. However, starting your savings small and building gradually is a great way to get started.

'If you start training for a race, you must begin slow and with short distances, gradually increasing speed and distance.'

Many younger people might be concerned that they don't have hundreds of pounds to throw towards their savings each month, and they feel they are unlikely to get anywhere.

The trick, though, is to start small. Building a positive habit of savings, even if just a small amount each month, will see your pot gradually grow.

Savings also benefit from the compounding effect over time, and yet, figures from Hargreaves Lansdown indicate that just 28 per cent of people have an understanding of how compounding works.

Alistair said: 'Discipline is crucial when it comes to saving money, as sticking to small habits and consistency is key to making a difference.

'I find that creating a savings plan and sticking to it is a great way of positively influencing the way you save and is very like sticking to a training plan.

'If you start building that consistency and putting away the same amount of money each month, it will become as easier habit to maintain.'

Saving money, to a large extent, is down to discipline. It is one thing to start putting money aside each month, but it is another to maintain the habit over the long term.

As many as 72 per cent of young people said new savings strategies could help them to reach their money goals.

Jonny said: 'When training for a triathlon, I had to manage my diet, training, rest and recovery, and when it comes to saving money, I try to adopt the same mindset and manage my spending and budgeting to save for the long term.'

'With a triathlon, you need to visualise yourself hitting your goals or crossing the finish line, and I do this with my money goals too – visualise the things I want to save up for.'

Natwest's survey, however, indicates that the goals of younger people are different to those that their parents had.

Just a third of young people are saving for long-term goals, and of these only 20 per cent of their savings is allocated towards these, with more than 50 per cent pegged for the medium term.

Still, three quarters said they wanted to save more for the long term.

Younger people, the figures show, are more inclined towards saving money for costs such as travelling, with 39 per cent reporting this as a savings goal.

Some 20 per cent wanted to save for luxury travel and 20 per cent favoured health and wellness retreats.

That said, 22 per cent wanted to build a fund for investing and 24 per cent said their savings could help them to start a business in the future.

Mo Watt, savings expert at Natwest, said: 'Some 47 per cent of young people today believe their savings goals differ from those of their parents at the same age, and our research sheds more light on this generational shift in attitudes.

'At NatWest, we know that regular savings – no matter how big or small – can add up to make a big difference down the line.

'Couch to Cash: the £5k Challenge aims to provide useful tips for those who are looking to get started or want some additional structure to their savings journey.'