Summer Olympic Sports >> Triathlon

ABOUT

The first triathlon was held on Fiesta Island, California, USA in 1974 as the San Diego University Track Club ventured into new forms of instilling interest in their training program while inventing “cross-over training” at the same time.

As the ultimate endurance test, triathlon requires athletes to excel at the three “classic sports” of swimming, cycling and running.

The sport requires intense training and discipline at the elite level; many people participate in triathlons because it fits in with a healthy lifestyle.  They’re able to train while still pursuing careers and families.

Triathlon made its Olympic debut at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney after it was awarded full medal status six years earlier at the IOC congress in Paris.  The international popularity of triathlon really started to grow after its inclusion on the Olympic program.  By 2003, ITU’s World Cup circuit expanded to 18 races in 14 different countries.

COMPETITION

Triathlon races are held over four distances, labeled Sprint, Olympic, Long Course and Ultra.  The Olympic triathlon comprises a 1.5 kilometer swim, a 40km bike ride, and a 10km run.

After a mass start, the race remains continuous, with no stop between the three legs.  Changeovers, then, are vital to race strategy.  Women are expected to finish in just over two hours, with men requiring about 1 hour 50 minutes.  The women race on the opening morning of the Games, followed by the men the next morning.

LIST OF EVENTS

• Individual Men