Triathlon was invented in the early 1970s by the San Diego Track Club, as an alternative workout to the rigours of track training. The club's first event consisted of a 10km run, an 8km cycle and a 500 metre swim.

Over the next decade, triathlon grew by leaps and bounds and soon gained recognition throughout the world. In 1989, the International Triathlon Union (ITU) was founded in Avignon, France, and the first official world championships were held.

The official distance for triathlon was set at a 1500 metre swim, a 40km cycle and a 10km run - taken from existing events in each discipline already on the Olympic program. This standard distance is used for the ITU World Cup series and was also featured at the Sydney Olympic Games.

Since 1989, the sport has grown rapidly and now has over a hundred affiliated national federations around the world.

(BOCOG)