triathlon

triathlon, athletic event made up of three contests. Since the 1970s the term has come to mean especially a race combining swimming, bicycling, and running. A notable example is Hawaii's Ironman Triathlon, held since 1978, which features a 2.5-mi (4-km) swim, a 112-mi (180-km) bicycle race, and a 26-mi (42-km) run. Most triathlons, however, especially those held in urban areas, cover shorter distances. The Olympic triathlon, first held in 2000, combines a 1,500-m (.93-mi) swim, a 40-km (24.8-mi) bicycle race, and a 10-km (6.2-mi) run. Another form of triathlon is a women's track-and-field event combining the 100-m dash, the high jump, and the shot put.

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triathlon

Endurance contest involving swimming, cycling, and running. Triathlons originated in California in the 1970s and became an Olympic event in 2000. Olympic and world championship triathlons consist of a 1.5-km open water swim, a 40-km bicycle ride, and a 10-km run. The sport's most famous event, the Ironman triathlon, is held annually in Hawaii and consists of a 3.8-km (2.4-mi) swim, a 180-km (112-mi) bicycle ride, and a 42.2-km (26.2-mi) marathon run.

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triathlon

an athletic contest in which each athlete competes in three different events, swimming, cycling, and running