A triathlon is an endurance multisport race consisting of swimming, cycling, and running over various distances. Triathletes compete for fastest overall completion time, racing each segment sequentially with the time transitioning between the disciplines included. The word is of Greek origin, from τρεῖς or treis (three) and ἆθλος or athlos (competition).
A relay race is a racing competition where members of a team take turns completing parts of racecourse or performing a certain action. Relay races take the form of professional races and amateur games. Relay races are common in running, orienteering, swimming, cross-country skiing, biathlon, or ice skating. In the Olympic Games, there are several types of relay races that are part of track and field. Relay race, also called Relay, a track-and-field sport consisting of a set number of stages (legs), usually four, each leg run by a different member of a team. The runner finishing one leg is usually required to pass the next runner a stick-like object known as a "baton" while both are running in a marked exchange zone. In most relays, team members cover equal distances: Olympic events for both men and women are the 400-metre and 1,600-metre relays. Some non-Olympic relays are held at distances of 800 m, 3,200 m, and 6,000 m. In the less frequently run medley relays, however, the athletes cover different distances in a prescribed order—as in a sprint medley of 200, 200, 400, 800 metres or a distance medley of 1,200, 400, 800, 1,600 metres
World Triathlon is the international governing body for the multi-sport disciplines of triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon and other nonstandard variations. World Triathlon hosts the top level international race series the ITU World Triathlon Series and the ITU Triathlon World Cup. World Triathlon also has a long-distance race circuit with official world championships. Additionally, World Triathlon sanctions and organizes official Aquathlon (swim-run), Duathlon (run-bike-run) and Winter triathlon championships. World Triathlon is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland
Triathlon had its Summer Olympics debut at the 2000 Games, in Sydney, and has been contested since then. It is governed by the International Triathlon Union.
The Triathlon competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics, in Beijing, were held on Monday, August 18 (women) and Tuesday, August 19 (men), on the Triathlon Venue at the Ming Tomb Reservoir in Shisanling.
The women's triathlon was part of the triathlon at the 2008 Summer Olympics programme. It was the third appearance of the event, which was established in 2000. The competition was held on Monday, August 18, 2008 at the Triathlon Venue at the Ming Tomb Reservoir in Shisanling. Fifty-five triathletes from thirty nations competed.
The men's triathlon was part of the Triathlon at the 2008 Summer Olympics programme. It was the third appearance of the event, which was established in 2000. The competition was held on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 at the Triathlon Venue at the Ming Tomb Reservoir in Shisanling. Fifty-five triathletes from 31 nations competed.
The triathlon events at the 2012 Summer Olympics were held in Hyde Park in London, United Kingdom, with the women's triathlon held on 4 August and the men's on 7 August. 110 triathletes from 39 countries competed with 55 men and 55 women competing. The races were held over the "international distance" and consisted of 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) swimming, 43 kilometres (27 mi) road cycling, and 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) road running.
The men's individual competition of the triathlon events at the 2011 Pan American Games was held on October 23 at the API Maritime Terminal in Puerto Vallarta. The defending Pan American Games champion is Andy Potts of the United States.
The women's individual competition of the triathlon events at the 2011 Pan American Games was held on October 23 at the API Maritime Terminal in Puerto Vallarta. The defending Pan American Games champion is Julie Ertel of the United States.
The men's triathlon was one of the triathlon events at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom. It took place on 7 August 2012, featuring 55 men from 32 countries. It was the fourth appearance of an Olympic men's triathlon event since the first at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. The race was around Hyde Park, a 1.42 km2 park in central London. The race was held over the "international distance" and consisted of 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) swimming, 42.959 kilometres (26.693 mi) road cycling, and 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) road running.
The women's triathlon was one of the triathlon events at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom. It took place on 4 August 2012, featuring 55 women from 31 countries. It was the fourth appearance of an Olympic women's triathlon event since the first at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. The race was around Hyde Park, a 1.42 km2 park in central London. The race was held over the "international distance" and consisted of 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) swimming, 43 kilometres (27 mi) road cycling, and 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) road running.
The men's triathlon was part of the Triathlon at the 2004 Summer Olympics programme. It was the second appearance of the event, which was established in 2000. The competition was held on Thursday, August 26, 2004 at the Vouliagmeni Olympic Centre in Athens. Fifty triathletes from 26 nations competed.
The women's triathlon was part of the Triathlon at the 2004 Summer Olympics programme. It was the second appearance of the event, which was established in 2000. The competition was held on Wednesday, August 26, 2004 at the Vouliagmeni Olympic Centre in Athens. Fifty triathletes from 26 nations competed.
The women's triathlon was part of the Triathlon at the 2000 Summer Olympics programme. It was the first appearance of the event, and one of the first-day events at the 2000 Summer Olympics. The competition was held on Saturday, September 16, 2000 at the Sydney Opera House in Sydney.
The Triathlon competitions at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, in Glasgow, were held in Strathclyde Country Park. The men's and women's individual events were held on Thursday 24 July and women's triathlon was the first medal event of the Games. Mixed team relay was held on Saturday 26 July for the first time ever in major multi-sport Games. Marisol Casado, ITU President and IOC member, commented: "We are delighted the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee has embraced the Triathlon Mixed Relay. Triathlon is on currently on a high in the United Kingdom, and the Mixed Relay will offer an extra opportunity for the people of Glasgow to watch another thrilling and unpredictable event live on their city streets."
The men's triathlon was part of the Triathlon at the 2014 Commonwealth Games program. The competition was held on 24 July 2014 at Strathclyde Country Park in Glasow.
The men's triathlon at the 2016 Summer Olympics took place at Fort Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro on 18 August.
Mixed-sex sports are individual and team sports whose participants are not of a single sex. In organised sports settings, rules usually dictate an equal number of people of each sex in a team. Usually, the main purpose of these rules are to account for physiological sex differences. Mixed-sex sports in informal settings are typically groups of neighbours, friends or family playing without regard to the sex of the participants. Mixed-sex play is also common in children's sports as before puberty and adolescence, sport-relevant sex differences affect performance far less.
