2008 Beijing Olympics Triathlon: A Crash Course

Olympics Triathlon Facts

Triathlon debuted in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney along with taekwondo.

Brigette McMahon (SUI) and Simon Whitfield (CAN) won triathlon's first Olympic gold medals.

The 2008 men's USA Olympic triathlon team consists of:

Jarrod Shoemaker

Matt Reed

Hunter Kemper

 
The females on the USA triathlon team include:

Laura Bennett

Julie Swail Ertel

Sarah Haskins

Here’s the complete list of 2008 Olympics triathlon participants.
 

The Olympic distance triathlon in Beijing is 1.5 km swim, 40 km bike, and a 10km run.

The men's and women's triathlon competition will be held at the Ming Tomb Reservoir in northern Beijing. Competitors will begin the competition by diving into the reservoir and swimming one long lap.

The cycling and running portions of the event will take place on the reservoir dam and the roads surrounding the area. The cycling is a 6-lap course, and the run a 4-lap course.

The clock doesn’t stop for transitions, so the first person to complete the full course is the winner.

Here are some options for following the triathlon happenings of the 2008 Olympics: 

NBC Olympic Triathlon Schedule

USA Triathlon news and updates

Triathlete blog: Paul Tichelaar of Canada

Official 2008 Beijing Olympics site

ESPN Olympic news and highlights

2008 Olympics on the Internet

Check out these tips for how to enjoy the 2008 Olympics and how to watch the 2008 Olympics.

 

Okay, from this moment forward put your Olympic game face on, and get in the Olympic spirit!!

And finally, this one's for all you newbies who think “just finishing” isn’t a worthy goal: