For a data point - I have a currently racing ITU acquaintance that feels they can swim 4:45 in the 500 free with their in season fitness. They have told me they have no problem swimming with the front ITU pack and feel they are one of the fastest swimmers in the mix. Their results bear out they are always in the front pack. This season, starting in Aug 2023, there have been roughly 300 males in the USA that have swum 4:30 or under, that includes high school and college.

A 4:30 500 swimmer will be swimming massively, and have near zero time for other sports. Plus, you don’t need that swim speed in triathlons. I agree with Monty, that would be a rare unicorn. I’d focus the attention on all sub 5 minute 500 swimmers, and see how much they are swimming and can they run.

Well this is what I am getting at. I think you are far more likely to find a sub 30 10k runner from a population of 4:30 swimmers than the opposite.//

Well wouldn't that mythological unicorn be a member of both populations, and thus as likely to be found in either??


I cannot recall ever hearing about anyone(college or under) making that cutoff in both sports, have you? I'm not even sure that the best current ITU guys could swim sub 4;30. Perhaps at one time in their lives, but at the same time as running sub 30- 10k? It would be super rare to find that person that can do both in the same week for sure...