Kammala jumla mai zuwa: A cikin 2016, Burnell ya yi gasa a Wasannin Olympics na Rio, yana gasa a cikin gasar Marathon Swimming, tare da taron da ya fara a Copacabana Beach. A cikin
A gasar wasannin Olympics ta 2016 a gasar Open Water na maza mai nisan kilomita 10, Burnell an cire shi daga katunan rawaya guda biyu saboda tuntuɓar da ba dole ba tare da sauran masu iyo, bayan da farko ya bayyana ya gama na biyar a cikin hoton 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.