One of the ultimate tests of endurance, the triathlon combines cycling, swimming, and running to, in the end, give its victor just one hard-earned medal.
The mastery of three long-distance disciplines makes being a triathlon athlete particularly trying, which helped to give rise to the world-renowned Ironman races.
At the Summer Olympic Games, the triathlon is a relatively young sport, but it still manages to draw in huge audiences thanks to the popularity of the sport beyond the biggest stage of them all.
To get yourself among those savvy fans, here’s what you need to know about the rules and scoring of the triathlon events at Paris 2024.
History
The loose origins of the triathlon can be dated back to very early 20th Century France and, likely, earlier.
This comes down to the 1901 record of Les Trois Sports, or “the three sports,” that featured canoeing, cycling, and running.
Triathlon, in its modern form, would appear to have risen to prominence in 1970s America. The races put on by members of the San Diego Track Club would inspire the invention of the Hawaii Ironman in 1978.
Ironman very much brought the sport to prominence in North America, while triathlons picked up momentum across Europe in the 1980s.
By the time the International Olympic Committee had to pick its sports for the 2000 Sydney Games, the noise around triathlons couldn’t be ignored.
Since the turn of the millennium, there’s been a men’s and women’s triathlon at every Summer Games, and at Paris 2024, we’ll see the second edition of the mixed relay triathlon.
Rules
Being a long-distance event, triathlons are ripe for live betting, especially if you spot a rule break along the way. As a three-sport mix, each discipline has its own set of rules that athletes need to follow.
Triathlon Swimming Rules
Athletes are mandated to wear wetsuits if the temperature is below 14oC but are only allowed to optionally put one on when the water is cooler than 20oC.
Any stroke can be used for the swimming leg, and inanimate objects or the floor can be used to rest.
However, if assistance is needed or an object is used to gain an advantage, the athlete retires from the race.
Triathlon Cycling Rules
Drafting is allowed in triathlon cycling, but blocking isn’t. Attempting to block or performing any dangerous cycling moves will end in the athlete being pulled from the race.
Penalties and disqualification can also come into play if the athlete rides their bike prior to the mount line or after the dismount line.
Triathlon Running Rules
In the running leg of the triathlon, athletes aren’t allowed to listen to music through headphones or headsets, and while they are permitted to walk, they’re not allowed to crawl.
Finishing the race occurs when a part of the torso crosses the finish line. This means that pushing a leg, hip, arm, shoulder, neck, or head over the line first doesn’t get an advantage.
Scoring
If you use the sport betting markets to back your favourite triathlon athlete, you’re betting on them to finish first in the whole event. Should they win the first stage but then fade in the next two, a gold medal bet won’t win.
A triathlon is a straight race in which all of the competitors set off and try to be the first one over the finish line. They’ll first swim and then cycle and then run, being timed continuously.
Events and Disciplines
The triathlon is made up of swimming, cycling, and running in that order. For both men and women, athletes have to complete these distances to finish a triathlon:
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1,500 metres swimming
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40 kilometres cycling
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Ten kilometres running
The mixed relay triathlon switches up the distances to cater to the nature of the new format. In this event, each team member needs to complete each of these sectors, tapping the hand of the next team member in between:
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300 metres swimming
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6.8 kilometres cycling
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Two kilometres running
Equipment
The equipment used by athletes in a triathlon is fairly minimal and rather predictable. Were you to enter as an Olympian in the triathlon, here’s what you’d be looking to use:
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Cycling: Tri bike with aerodynamic handlebars, tri shoes, bottle of water, and helmet.
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Swimming: Wetsuit if the water is below 20oC, swimming cap, and goggles.
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Running: Running shoes with elastic laces – sometimes without socks to save time.
Most Successful Countries at the Olympics
Narrowly, with only 13 events having taken place across six Olympic Games, Great Britain is the most successful team in the triathlon.
Back-to-back gold medals won by Alistair Brownlee in 2012 and 2016, as well as the bronze and silver medals picked up by his brother, Jonathan, got Team GB on the table.
At the 2020 Tokyo Games, Team GB also claimed the inaugural mixed relay triathlon gold medal, thanks to the team of Jessica Learmonth, Jonathan Brownlee, Georgia Taylor-Brown, and Alex Yee.
Close behind Team GB’s eight-medal collection are Switzerland (5), Australia (5), New Zealand (4), and the United States (4).
*Credit for the main photo belongs to Alamy*
