What is Triathlon?
Triathlon is a multisport event that combines three disciplines: swimming, cycling and running. In triathlon, competitors compete in a race to the finish line with the first past the tape declared the winner.
By whom, where and when was Triathlon invented?
Triathlon was invented in the early 1970s by the San Diego Track Club in the USA as an alternative workout to the rigours of track training. The club's first event consisted of a 10km run, an 8km cycle and a 500m swim. Over the next decade, triathlon’s popularity continued to build, and it soon gained worldwide recognition.
What are the rules of Triathlon?
The basic rules of triathlon are simple: competitors swim, cycle and run a defined distance in a race to the finish line. An Olympic distance triathlon includes a 1.5km swim, 40km bike ride and 10km run, while sprint distance triathlons are shorter variants of the race. In the World Triathlon Sprint Championships, competitors complete a 750m swim, 20km bike ride and 5km run. On the other end of the scale, Ironman triathlons typically consist of a 3.9km swim, 180.2km bike ride and a 42.2km run.
At the Olympics, the men's and women's individual triathlon competitions consist of a 1.5km swim, 40km bike ride and 10km run. The mixed relay requires each competitor to complete a 300m swim, 6.8km cycle and 2km run in a relay format.
Triathlon and the Olympics
Triathlon made its full Olympic debut at the Olympic Games Sydney 2000 and has been a part of the summer Olympic programme ever since. At Tokyo 2020, a mixed relay event was added to the Olympic programme where teams of four athletes - two women and two men - competed to win gold.
Best Triathletes to watch
Flora Duffy who won Bermuda’s first-ever gold medal in the individual competition at Tokyo 2020. On the men’s side, Norway’s Kristian Blummenfelt won gold at Tokyo 2020.
Great Britain have a history of producing world-class triathletes, including the individual silver medallists from both the Tokyo 2020 men’s and women’s competitions, Alex Yee and Georgia Taylor-Brown. The 2022 men’s world champion is France’s Leo Bergere, while in the women’s competition the USA have a strong field of athletes including Taylor Knibb, Katie Zaferes and Taylor Spivey.
Triathlon competition rules and event format at Paris 2024
The Paris 2024 men’s and women’s individual triathlon races took place on 30 and 31 July 2024 at Pont d’Iéna, while the mixed relay took place on 5 August at the same venue.
Each of the events included a single race for the gold medal with no heats, making triathlon one of the most exciting and high-stakes race formats on the Olympic programme.
