Triathlon Report

  Triathlon Report 

Have you ever heard of Triathlons?

It's a sport that requires three different sports. Those three sports being long distance running, swimming and cycling. It is a sport that is held during the Olympics. The Olympics is a very big national competition that has 193 countries participating per year. Amazing right? It is held every four years and is an amazing sport for sport lovers and non sport lovers.

What is Triathlon’s history in the Olympics? 

The 2000 Summer Olympics saw the first appearance of the Triathlon. 48 women and 52 men participated in separate triathlons games. The average time for a Triathlon game for high caliber professionals often finish Olympic Triathlons in about 2 hours or less. The men's record currently stands at just over 1 hour, 46 minutes. The women’s world record is 1:56:16 achieved by Gwen Jorgensen. But for top age groupers, Olympic distance Triathlon times typically range between 2 and 2 ½ hours.

What is Triathlon and how does it work? 

Triathlon is an athletic competition that contains three different sports. To switch from sport to sport they have transitions. They are the link between each segment. Those three sports are cycling, swimming and long distance running. The first sport is a 1.5km swim which usually takes less than 20 minutes. The longest segment is the 40km bike ride. The strongest and toughest athletes take around an hour to complete. After that they get on their shoes and go for a 10km run. For the first time at an Olympic games, Tokyo will be holding a mixed relay event.  

How did Triathlons originate? 

Triathlon is a multi-sport endurance race that includes Swimming, running over various distances and cycling. The sport originated in France during a multi event race during the 1920s, with more specific  rules and races forming during the late 1970s as clubs and individuals developed the sport Triathlon.

What is New Zealand involvement in the Olympics Triathlon games? 

In 2021 (This year), the Olympics were held in Tokyo. This year (2021) on the men's team for Triathlon, NZ won a bronze medal. The name of the man who won a bronze medal for NZ is Hayden Wilde. NZ’s Olympic story started in 1908, when three athletes competed as part of the ‘Australasian’ team. The Australasian team was led by Flag-bearer Henry Murray.

Why is Triathlon in the order it is? 

There is no official reason for the events in a Triathlon. But if you look back at the history of Triathlon. Even though it was made popular by the Ironman race back in the 1980s, the first Triathlons in the 1920s located in France the original sports included running, cycling and canoeing. Nowadays in the Olympics people participate in the modern Triathlon games.

Why is swimming first in a Triathlon?

The reason behind swimming being first is because swimming is the biggest threat to an athlete when tired. If the swimming portion were at the end, then it would increase the chances of gruesome accidents, racer cramping or collapsing in exhaustion in the water and possibly drowning. 

Should kids be able to participate in Triathlons?

A lot of kids love running, biking and swimming, which may be the reason for the growing popularity of mini-triathlons for kids. A lot of events claim to be for little children but kids should compete when they are 9-10, so technically when they are of age. 

Who was the first woman to win a gold medal?

 In this year (2021). On Tuesday, Flora Duffy won the women's Triathlon. Becoming the first Bermudian in the Olympics history to take home a gold medal. The 33 year old woman crossed the finish line with a time limit of 1 hour, 55 minutes and 36 seconds, more than a minute ahead of second place finisher  Georgia Taylor Brown of Great Britain.

In conclusion the sport Triathlon has a great and long history. It is a sport that requires great perseverance and strength. It originated in France during the 1920s. It has somewhat changed over the vast years.