The Olympic sport of Triathlon consists of swimming, cycling and running.
2012 Summer Olympic Triathlon Events Key facts
Venue: Hyde park
Dates: Monday 6 – Tuesday 7 August, 2012
Gold medals: 2
Athletes: 110 (55 men, 55 women)
Triathlon: A history of the sport
Triathlon is thought to be the fastest-growing individual sport in the United Kingdom.
It attracts a wide range of athletes because it combines three different disciplines: Swimming, Cycling and Running.
The sport developed from the fitness craze that swept California in the early 1970s, and the first race held in San Diego in 1974.
Triathlon at the Games
Triathlon made its Games debut at Sydney 2000 where half a million spectators lined the streets to watch the event. Since then, the sport has continued to grow in popularity around the world, producing world class athletes on every continent.
How to play – and win
The Olympic Triathlon starts with a 1500m swim in open water. Competitors then cycle 40km before finishing with a 10km run. The gaps between the stages are known as ‘transitions’.
These often prove crucial to the end result as athletes gain or lose time on their rivals by taking off their wetsuit and putting on their shoes.
Jargon buster
* Drafting: Cycling in a pack of riders as opposed to riding alone.
* Pontoon: The floating apparatus that triathletes dive off to begin the swimming stage.
* Wet suit: An all-in-one body suit that can be worn if the water is between 14 and 20 degrees. Above 20 degrees wetsuits are not allowed.
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