Triathlon is an endurance sport that combines the three most popular individual endurance disciplines: swimming, cycling, and running. These are completed in the same order without interruption, either individually or in a team, on a predetermined course. The word triathlon is composed of the two Greek words τρεῖς or treis (three) and ἆθλος or athlos (competition).
Unlike other multisport disciplines such as biathlon or decathlon, however, triathlon not only counts the individual times from the three sports, but the running clock also measures the two transitions from swimming to cycling and later from cycling to running. The transitions are often referred to as the “fourth discipline.” The total time is thus calculated from the start of the swim to the finish line in the run. The participants complete the competitions simultaneously and sometimes in a very confined space (mass start in swimming, transition zone, etc.).
The respective race tactics and the behavior of individuals in the field of participants play an important role. The rules and competition regulations (based on social values and norms) of the sport are binding behavioral expectations for the athletes and therefore require attention during the analysis of this sport. At this point, reference is made to the currently valid version of the ÖTRV sports regulations.
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