Triathlon at the Summer Olympics

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Triathlon at the Summer Olympics
Triathlon pictogram.svg
IOC Discipline CodeTRI
Governing body ITU
Events3 (men: 1; women: 1; mixed: 1)
Games
  • 1896
  • 1900
  • 1904
  • 1908
  • 1912
  • 1920
  • 1924
  • 1928
  • 1932
  • 1936
  • 1948
  • 1952
  • 1956
  • 1960
  • 1964
  • 1968
  • 1972
  • 1976
  • 1980
  • 1984
  • 1988
  • 1992
  • 1996
  • 2000

Triathlon had its Summer Olympics debut at the 2000 Games, in Sydney, when men's and women's individual events were first held, and has been contested since then. In 2021, at the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics a mixed team relay event was held for the first time. The sport, and its Olympic events, are governed by the International Triathlon Union, known since 2019 as World Triathlon.

Contents

Summary

GamesYearEventsBest Nation
27 2000 2Flag of Switzerland.svg  Switzerland
28 2004 2Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
29 2008 2Flag of Australia.svg  Australia
30 2012 2Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
31 2016 2Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
32 2020 3Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain

History

The 2000 Summer Olympics saw the first appearance of the triathlon. 48 women and 52 men competed in separate triathlons. The distances used were the "international" or "standard" ones, with a 1.5 km (0.93 mi) swim, 40 km (25 mi) cycle, and a 10 km (6.2 mi) run. The 2004 triathlon was identical to the first in distance, but the 100-athlete quota was evened between 50 women and 50 men. The quota was further increased to 55 women and 55 men for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and remained the same for London 2012 and Rio 2016.

Results summary

Only one athlete, Great Britain's Alistair Brownlee, has ever won the Olympic triathlon twice (in 2012 and 2016), making him the most successful Olympic triathlete. Brother Jonathan Brownlee uniquely has won three medals in three consecutive Games, bronze in 2012, silver in 2016 and finally a gold in the inaugural team relay in 2020, thus making him the most decorated Olympic triathlete, and the only three time medalist.

Several other athletes have also won two medals, including a silver and bronze for New Zealander Bevan Docherty, and two Olympic champions, Canada's Simon Whitfield and Switzerland's Nicola Spirig, who both won a gold, followed by a silver medal. Katie Zaferes, Alex Yee and Georgia Taylor-Brown became the first triathletes to win two medals in the same Games in 2021 with the introduction of the mixed relay, the latter two athletes becoming the most successful triathlete in a single Games with a gold (relay) and a silver (individual) medal.

Great Britain is the most successful nation as of 2021, with three gold, three silver and two bronze medals. New Zealand (2004) and Great Britain (2016) are the only nations to have completed a one-two finish in an individual event. No nation has yet won both women's and men's individual events at the same Games, or indeed in any Games - in fact, only two nations, Switzerland and Great Britain, have won medals in both men's and women's individual events as of 2021, and only Great Britain have won medals in all three Olympic events, managing the feat at the 2020 Games.

Canadian Simon Whitfield was the first gold medalist in the men's Olympic triathlon, in 2000. Simon-whitfield-triathlete.jpg
Canadian Simon Whitfield was the first gold medalist in the men's Olympic triathlon, in 2000.
Kate Allen of Austria came from behind to win the 2004 women's Olympic triathlon event. 2008 Kate Allen.JPG
Kate Allen of Austria came from behind to win the 2004 women's Olympic triathlon event.

Men

GamesGoldSilverBronze
2000 Sydney
details
Simon Whitfield
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
Stephan Vuckovic
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany
Jan Řehula
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic
2004 Athens
details
Hamish Carter
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
Bevan Docherty
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
Sven Riederer
Flag of Switzerland.svg  Switzerland
2008 Beijing
details
Jan Frodeno
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany
Simon Whitfield
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
Bevan Docherty
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
2012 London
details
Alistair Brownlee
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
Javier Gómez Noya
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain
Jonathan Brownlee
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
2016 Rio de Janeiro
details
Alistair Brownlee
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
Jonathan Brownlee
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
Henri Schoeman
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
2020 Tokyo
details
Kristian Blummenfelt
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway
Alex Yee
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
Hayden Wilde
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand

Women

GamesGoldSilverBronze
2000 Sydney
details
Brigitte McMahon
Flag of Switzerland.svg  Switzerland
Michellie Jones
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia
Magali Messmer
Flag of Switzerland.svg  Switzerland
2004 Athens
details
Kate Allen
Flag of Austria.svg  Austria
Loretta Harrop
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia
Susan Williams
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2008 Beijing
details
Emma Snowsill
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia
Vanessa Fernandes
Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal
Emma Moffatt
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia
2012 London
details
Nicola Spirig
Flag of Switzerland.svg  Switzerland
Lisa Nordén
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
Erin Densham
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia
2016 Rio de Janeiro
details
Gwen Jorgensen
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Nicola Spirig Hug
Flag of Switzerland.svg  Switzerland
Vicky Holland
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
2020 Tokyo
details
Flora Duffy
Flag of Bermuda.svg  Bermuda
Georgia Taylor-Brown
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
Katie Zaferes
Flag of the United States.svg  United States

Mixed relay

GamesGoldSilverBronze
2020 Tokyo
details
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain  (GBR)
Jessica Learmonth
Jonathan Brownlee
Georgia Taylor-Brown
Alex Yee
Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)
Katie Zaferes
Kevin McDowell
Taylor Knibb
Morgan Pearson
Flag of France.svg  France  (FRA)
Léonie Périault
Dorian Coninx
Cassandre Beaugrand
Vincent Luis

Medal table

16 nations have split the thirty-nine medals awarded in the triathlon events, accurate as of the conclusion of the 2020 Olympic games. [1]

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain  (GBR)3328
2Flag of Switzerland.svg  Switzerland  (SUI)2125
3Flag of Australia.svg  Australia  (AUS)1225
4Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand  (NZL)1124
Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)1124
6Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada  (CAN)1102
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany  (GER)1102
8Flag of Austria.svg  Austria  (AUT)1001
Flag of Bermuda.svg  Bermuda  (BER)1001
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway  (NOR)1001
11Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal  (POR)0101
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain  (ESP)0101
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden  (SWE)0101
14Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic  (CZE)0011
Flag of France.svg  France  (FRA)0011
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa  (RSA)0011
Totals (16 entries)13131339

Qualification

Qualification spots in the triathlon are allotted to National Olympic Committees (NOCs) rather than to individual athletes.

There are five ways for NOCs to earn spots in the triathlon. NOCs can earn a maximum of three spots, though only eight nations may earn that many. Nations beyond that may earn only two spots. [2]

The first five spots go to the winners of the five regional qualifying tournaments. Three more spots go to the top three triathletes of the most recent Triathlon World Championships, though any athlete that won a regional tournament is skipped in that determination. The next 39 places go to the NOCs of those athletes highest in the ITU ranking (again, skipping those athletes that have already qualified in the first two methods). A forty-eighth place is awarded to the host country if it has not already received a spot, or to the next highest ranked athlete if the host country has. Two places are awarded by the Tripartite Commission. In the end, further five places are distributed to the NOCs without any quota through the ITU Points List, with one place for each continent. [2]

Competition

The Olympic triathlon is composed of two medal events, one for men and the other for women. Both use the same distances of 1.5 km, 40 km, and 10 km. Mass starts are used and drafting is allowed during the cycling phase.

Because of the variability of courses and uncontrollable conditions, official time based records are not kept for the triathlon. This rule applies to Olympic games as well.

Changes for Tokyo 2020

In the Olympic games, held in Tokyo, there was an inclusion of a mixed relay race. Teams of two men and two women competed on a course consisting of a 300m swim, 8 km cycle, and 2 km run before tagging a teammate.

Nations

The following nations have taken part in the triathlon competition.

Nation9600040812202428323648525660646872768084889296 00 04 08 12 16 20 Years
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina  (ARG)                       121215
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia  (AUS)                       6656666
Flag of Austria.svg  Austria  (AUT)                       1342346
Flag of Azerbaijan.svg  Azerbaijan  (AZE)                       112
Flag of Barbados.svg  Barbados  (BAR)                       11
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium  (BEL)                       2222446
Flag of Bermuda.svg  Bermuda  (BER)                       112115
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil  (BRA)                       6633236
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada  (CAN)                       4565546
Flag of Chile.svg  Chile  (CHI)                       112125
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China  (CHN)                       2232216
Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia  (COL)                       1113
Flag of Costa Rica.svg  Costa Rica  (CRC)                       1113
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic  (CZE)                       4534126
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark  (DEN)                       211215
Flag of Ecuador.svg  Ecuador  (ECU)                       1113
Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia  (EST)                       11114
Flag of France.svg  France  (FRA)                       6456556
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany  (GER)                       4566546
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain  (GBR)                       6656656
Flag of Greece.svg  Greece  (GRE)                       1113
Flag of Hong Kong.svg  Hong Kong  (HKG)                       1213
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary  (HUN)                       4221446
Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland  (IRL)                       12224
Flag of Israel.svg  Israel  (ISR)                       122
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy  (ITA)                       3343456
Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica  (JAM)                       11
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan  (JPN)                       6555446
Flag of Jordan.svg  Jordan  (JOR)                       11
Flag of Kazakhstan.svg  Kazakhstan  (KAZ)                       2313
Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg  (LUX)                       11214
Flag of Mauritius.svg  Mauritius  (MRI)                       112
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico  (MEX)                       222545
Flag of Monaco.svg  Monaco  (MON)                       11
Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco  (MAR)                       11
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands  (NED)                       6222246
Flag of the Netherlands Antilles (1986-2010).svg  Netherlands Antilles  (AHO)                       11
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand  (NZL)                       4426446
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway  (NOR)                       142
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland  (POL)                       3313
Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal  (POR)                       132335
Flag of Russia.svg  Russia  (RUS)                       1355646
Flag of Romania.svg  Romania  (ROU)                       11
Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia  (SVK)                       1113
Flag of Slovenia.svg  Slovenia  (SLO)                       112
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa  (RSA)                       2223446
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea  (KOR)                       11
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain  (ESP)                       4646656
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden  (SWE)                       11114
Flag of Switzerland.svg  Switzerland  (SUI)                       6564446
Flag of Syria.svg  Syria  (SYR)                       112
Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine  (UKR)                       2232116
Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)                       6665656
Flag of Venezuela.svg  Venezuela  (VEN)                       112
Flag of Zimbabwe.svg  Zimbabwe  (ZIM)                       1113
Nations343437394138
Competitors100100110110110110
Year9600040812202428323648525660646872768084889296 00 04 08 12 16 20

See also

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References

  1. "Olympic Analytics - Medals by Countries". olympanalyt.com. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  2. 1 2 "Qualification System – Games of the XXXI Olympiad – Triathlon" (PDF). February 2014. Retrieved 24 September 2015.