Rubuta ci gaba don wannan sakin layi - A cikin 2016, Burnell ya yi gasa a Wasannin Olympic na Rio, yana gasa a cikin gasar Marathon Swimming, tare da taron da ya fara a Copacabana Beach. A Gasar Ruwa Mai Tsawo na Kilomita 10 na Maza
a wasannin Olympics na 2016, Burnell an cire shi daga katunan rawaya guda biyu saboda tuntuɓar da ba dole ba tare da sauran masu iyo, bayan da ya fara fitowa a matsayin na biyar a cikin hoto tare da wanda ya lashe lambar tagulla Marc-Antoine Olivier da Zu Lijun. Katin rawaya na biyu ya zo kusa da layin gamawa bayan gwagwarmaya da mai kare gasar Olympics, Oussama Mellouli, wanda shi ma aka ba shi katin rawaya amma a ƙarshe ya gama na 12. A cikin wata hira mai cike da fushi bayan tseren, Burnell ya yi iƙirarin cewa Mellouli ya kama ƙafafunsa kuma hakan na iya hana shi cin nasara, kuma ya ce an ba da katin farko don tuntuɓar da ba dole ba lokacin da babu sauran masu iyo a kusa. Rokon Burnell game da hukuncin alkalan bai yi nasara ba.