Triathlon may not be the most eagerly-awaited event at every Olympic and Paralympic Games, but it has been practiced for centuries, since the etymology of the word "triathlon" comes from ancient Greek and refers to a three-discipline event. Since 2000, triathlon has been a fully-fledged Olympic discipline for both men and women, who compete in an M distance (now the Olympic triathlon distance) combining 1.5 km swimming, 40 km cycling and 10 km running.
Since the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, a new mixed triathlon format has also been added to the Olympic program. Now, the event takes the form of a mixed relay with two male and two female athletes, who each complete a triathlon XS circuit - 300 m swim, 8 km bike and 2 km run - before handing over to their teammate. At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the triathlon event will take place from theAlexandre III bridge, not far from Les Invalides on July 30, 31 and August 5, 2024.
Rules
In triathlon, the use of any form of assistance is forbidden: music or gels (other than official refreshments) are not permitted. Drafting, i.e. pulling behind other competitors on a bike, is also forbidden: it is essential to respect the distances between two athletes. It's also imperative to respect transition zones (between swimming and cycling, for example), otherwise you risk a penalty or even disqualification.
Records
Triathlon being one of the disciplines recently added to the Olympic program, no country or triathlete really stands out from the rest; the record for gold medals in the discipline is three, held by Great Britain.
A discipline to keep a close eye on (particularly on the part of French athletes) for these Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games!
Location
Alexandre III Bridge
quai d'Orsay
75008 Paris 8
Official website
www.paris2024.org
