ITU and Tokyo 2020 Unveil Triathlon, Mixed Relay & Para Triathlon

Tokyo, 2 August 2018 – The International Triathlon Union (ITU) and the Tokyo Organising Committee of

the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Tokyo 2020) today announced the courses for the Tokyo 2020

individual triathlon, mixed relay and Para triathlon events.

The races will start and finish in Odaiba Marine Park in Tokyo Bay, an urban resort with white sandy

beaches overlooked by Tokyo’s high-rise waterfront buildings which has been used as the venue for

Japan's National Triathlon Championships for more than 20 years. Triathlon swimming legs will take

place in Odaiba Bay. The bike riding and running courses will wind their way in and around the park, and

will incorporate a number of technical features. The course for individual events will also pass through

the West Promenade district of Odaiba, featuring waterfalls and greenery. With shopping complexes and

other attractions in the area, the races will be sure to draw thousands of spectators along every stretch

of the course catching Olympic and Paralympic action and cheering on the athletes in the heart of the

city.

Triathletes will complete the 1.5km swim leg in two laps of Odaiba Marine Park, with the 40km bike

section split into eight laps and the 10km run comprising four laps of 2.5km. The mixed relay—added to

the Olympic programme for the first time—involves teams of two men and two women completing a

short-course triathlon; each team member completes a 300m swim, a 7.4km bike ride and a 2km run

before handing off to a teammate to take over. The Para triathlon will consist of a 750m swim, a 20km

bike ride and a 5km run.

The men’s Olympic triathlon will take place on 27 July 2020, with the women’s event being staged on the

following day. The mixed relay will be staged on "Super Saturday", 1 August, an action-packed day

featuring 23 sports on which a number of medal events are scheduled to be held. The mixed relay, a

dynamic event that sees non-stop action until the last second, promotes gender-balance, and fully

addresses the IOC’s Olympic Agenda 2020 recommendations in this respect.

Marisol Casado, President of the ITU and IOC Member, commented, "I am extremely proud of the

courses that will stage the Tokyo 2020 Olympic individual Triathlon races, the mixed relay and the Para

triathlon races. We have been working hard with Tokyo 2020 to develop courses that will be exciting for

the athletes and spectators alike. The location is perfect and it is incredibly exciting to be right in the

heart of Tokyo at the Odaiba Bay. It is a great opportunity to showcase this amazing city to the whole

world as the best triathletes and Para triathletes on the planet compete among Tokyo's iconic

landmarks."

"For ITU, it is key to provide courses that allow the best possible conditions for the athletes, the best

viewing scenarios for spectators on site as well as watching on television, and that consider the

sustainability and legacy after the Games, so we work closely with Tokyo 2020 to provide the best

environment for the athletes, both now and in the near future. As it is always the case, we are extremely

satisfied with the stages we have designed on which our athletes can shine in the summer of 2020, and

we will work with Tokyo 2020 to improve those conditions further, where necessary and possible", added

the ITU president. "Tokyo 2020 will be unforgettable for triathlon with our new event added to the

calendar. As the thrill and excitement of the mixed relay adds to that of the individual races, we are sure

that, on these great circuits, we will all be able enjoy our best Olympic and Paralympic Games to date."

Triathlete Hirokatsu Tayama, who has competed at every Olympic Games since Athens 2004,

commented, "Triathlon is one of the world’s most popular sports; the men’s individual event at previous

Games attracted up to 700,000 spectators. When I imagine the cheering crowds at Odaiba Marine Park

and along public roads in the city centre, I really envy the athletes who’ll be competing and feeling that

excitement. I am sure that the course will be a showcase for the Tokyo 2020 Games, with panoramic

views of tourist attractions such as Tokyo Tower, the Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo Skytree.

"I am confident that good water quality at Odaiba can be assured, leaving a positive legacy for the future,

and that the Tokyo 2020 Games will be a sustainable Games; one where athletes will be able to compete

in absolute safety."

* Individual categories within para triathlon events have not decided yet. The International Paralympic

Committee will announce these in due course.

** The running order for the mixed relay will be female-male-female-male.

You may download the following materials at https://media.tokyo2020.org/en/press-room/press-kit/course/

⚫ Maps of the triathlon (individual), mixed relay, and Para triathlon courses

⚫ Elevation details

⚫ Photos of course landmarks, including Odaiba Marine Park and Symbol Promenade Park

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