Triathlon

Triathletes compete for the fastest overall course completion time, including the two transition phases (T1 and T2) where competitors change equipment for each discipline. Paratriathlon is a variant of triathlon for athletes with physical disabilities.

Athletes compete in six categories according to the nature of their physical impairments, and will often involve athletes racing on handbikes, tandem bicycles with a guide, and racing chairs. There are many different distances, ranging from races for young children over very short distances to long distance Ironman events (3.8 km swim, 180km bike, 42km run).

One of the challenges of putting on a triathlon event is ensuring there are appropriate venues for all three disciplines in the same area, meaning courses often vary hugely. The swim element can be pool-based, but for elite events it is normally in open-water such as the sea, lakes and rivers. The cycling element is normally draft-legal in elite Olympic racing and non-drafting in Paratriathlon racing.

Drafting is a technique used to reduce wind resistance, and save energy, when riding in a pack. The run element is normally on tarmac. There are many other multi-sport events associated with triathlon, the two most common being Aquathlon (swim > run) and Duathlon (run > bike > run).

Squads

Click here to view the full squad list.