I do think it is interesting that we’re in such a hurry to carve a sport in stone that has only been an Olympic sport since 2000…

I think you’re Australian - do you remember the F1 series/ Tooheys Blue? Those had all kinds of interesting formats. I do think the Olympics should keep the Olympic distance as the individual event, but I’m all for the MTR. There will definitely be growing pains and hopefully the process is better for Paris, but I think it is a move in the right direction. I’m also absolutely in favor of mixing distances/ formats on the circuit - Tiszaujvaros, Kitzbuhel, etc. Super League is also fun for that reason.

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Aaron Bales
Lansing Triathlon Team

Yes and I am in Aus and yes I remember. I love the relay but still want to see Olympic distance racing for most of the olympic qualification events. Relays for olympic relay qualification and OD and a few sprints only for OD individual. We already had a lot of sprints as points races and now potentially having a couple of supersprint each year of the 2 yr (4 races) could mean athletes could qualify for an OD race at the olympics without racing any olympic distance in the qualification period. You can't qualify for the 800m at Olympics with points and times from 200m and long jump so why do we think this would be ok?

I have pointed out several times that triathlon is a small sport, you know it. You add the eliminator, you add semifinals and a final, you make supersprints as official sprint champs...it is a mess for the general audience who are no so familiarized with the sport. I am not saying they should not try those events but you have an sport that has grown a lot...you have the opportunity to make it more attractive: make a good bike leg and not the s***** of flat loops and loops. Put Arzachenas, Athens04 circuits, even combined with no drafting from time to time.... You have the raw material, so take advantage of it but dont get crazy with so many formats such as enduro, emilinator, supersprint plus supersprint...
I like the MTR, but never over the individual race... Brifford is out because he is maibe not as good as Salvisverg for he relay...it is just the same issue with Van Coeorden, Ward...
I might think of specialists for MTR. Youngsters... just other sort of training.... Hope all this controversy for Tokyo can be a warning for Paris...


BTW, Blummenfelt picked himself as one of the 5 top favourites. I guess the other 4 are Luis, Mola, Yee and Geens.... I think we will see 2 out of 3 underdogs in the podium: One among Studer, Gomez (completely discarded for most of people), Schoeman, Schomburg or Wilde (not that underdog)...

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Spaniard. Sorry for my english for the sensitive ones :P

I'm not sure that's true about Brifford vs. Salvisberg on the relay, Salvisberg is probably a stronger swim/biker, but Brifford is more complete, and note far behind him on the first two. Some of the best Swiss MTRs of late were with Birfford and Struder...

I'd add Mislawchuk to the list of potential medal contenders. He's on form, and won the test event. I wouldn't put him in the top 5 favorites, but he's a threat.

Great point about qualifying at the distance - I agree. That was part of the issue for countries that used Tokyo as a Q race as well.

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Aaron Bales
Lansing Triathlon Team

Ironically, most NFs require having qualified at the distance as a criteria for Age Groupers to make worlds, but that it wasn't for the Olympics. That said, most NF's internal auto-qualifying criteria were based around OD races, and points were reduced for sprint races. But it was theoretically possible to qualify fully on the strength of sprint races, and to be selected without having actually posted an OD result.

The interesting thing is that we're only 3 years out from Paris, so we'll see the new criteria pretty soon, since qualification likely starts next year at some point. I suspect that we'll see some lobbying for reform from World Tri's athletes committee on those criteria, given the statement. At a bare minimum, I would expect to add a clause that an athlete much at least start the individual race to be eligible for the relay.

Rosters submission is now closed for the OG, so we should see full start lists soon. I know that Tri Can is announcing their team today. I assume all 6 that are eligible will likely travel as either racers or alternates. Brown and Mislawchuk are in for sure, and the #2s are between Sharpe/Lepage and Kretz/Jamnicky (likely Sharpe and Kretz, although politically it could be Lepage, after the coaching SafeSport saga triggered by Sharpe, even though he is the most deserving of the slot, similarly, Kretz is the obvious choice, but not sure what happens if she's asked not to race the individual and to race relay only (after them marooning her by focusing on the relay, only for her to save their relay by qualifying a second spot individually), which could open the door to Jamnicky). Speaking of the SafeSport drama, Hall apparently posted on social media yesterday (before it was taken down) a note showing his olympic accreditation, but alos noting that he will not be in Tokyo, and will instead coach Mislawchuk from afar. Perhaps this means he wasn't the coach that was suspended due to the SafeSport case? since I would suspect if he was suspended he would not have credentials, nor would be allowed to contact the athletes... While all signs point to him being that one, now I'm less sure.

I'm fairly certain the original TriCan post indicated that a coach WAS suspended. And the coach has served their suspension.

As far as I can tell, they (TriCan) did nothing, claimed they suspended him. And to save some face will not let him go to the games in person. He's been coaching Tyler this whole time, and using every TriCan athlete in the system to support Tyler.

I think Matt's performances and lawyers locked up his spot. No way he's on the team without both.
I'm very happy he'll get to race, and not have to deal with Jono at the games.

Possibly... And yes, very happy with the TriCan announcement that there were no shenanigans and that the right 4 athletes who earned them the spots got selected. Mislawchuk, Sharpe, Brown & Kretz are officially announce as team Canada.

I'd wager that Hall will not continue as National Team coach to Paris though. He's likely staying because he coaches their best medal contending athlete, to not screw up those chances. But I suspect that next year, someone else gets name as National Team coach (which is kind of a useless position to be real, when everyone trains in their own groups anyways, you probably just need a national team coordinator).

I think they have the facilities in Victoria to have a successful national team program. Using a national team coordinator and a group of diverse coaches, that work together.
But that will not work with the current group of ego's and the skill sets (or lack there of) in the group of coaches that currently are running the show.
The development program has yet to develop anything, except injured and frustrated athletes. All of the development has occurred outside of that program.

I am curious to see what countries will continue to have national team coaches, and what countries will have a coordinator. Seems to work well for Norway!

I'm not sure I would consider for a developing athlete getting to train with one of the top ranked athletes in the World during his Olympic prep as being used (I would consider it a great learning opportunity). I find it interesting to note from what I have seen on social media. All this group does is avoid social media and prepare for Tokyo.
Only athletes I've seen on social media lately are those not training in this group.
Full credit to Tyler and the athletes helping him prepare for focusing on what they can control and avoiding the fud.
It is very doubtful a domestique strategy will be beneficial in Tokyo with the course and depth of field but no doubt the work being done in training is vital to Tyler's preparation so probably more of a win win for all involved than a case of anyone being used.

What part of working with a known and active abuser is a learning opportunity?

Nothing good comes from that man being active in our sport. Nothing.

I'm glad someone else than me made that point. Look, Andrea is a really good swimmer, but that's the only thing he has on Adrien. And still, in Yokohama Adrien finished the swim ahead of both Andrea and Florin. Again he swam as fast as Florin (Andrea was not there) in Azarchena. The best result for the Swiss on the relay was in Nottingham 2019 with a second place behind the UK and in front of France. Granted the swim was replaced by a run (duathlon format). But Adrien dropped France (LeCorre) with his signature fast T2 and run prowess. This is why the federation had no clear explanation when Adrien tried to get answers to his non-selection.

Sorry I haven't read any articles or seen any convictions for any crime by anyone.
I'm not even sure who you are talking about (my post was about Tyler and the athletes he is doing Olympic prep with, I doubt any athlete is an active abuser).

Who are you refering too and what were they convicted of? Too easy to slander people on social media so I like to see proof before I believe posted comments I haven't seen verified.

Go look at Tri Canada website and then ask the question why isn’t Tyler’s coach going to Tokyo.

Then ask why is that allegedly the 2nd time a NGB has sanctioned that coach. And even worse why did it take the intervention of World Triathlon before anything happened.

Tyler is not an underdog, neither Pearson nor Bergere, Van Riel, JBrownlee, Iden, Birtwhistle but they are not in that top 5 prediction by KB...I am assuming he chooses himself plus yee, mola, luis and geens based on latest results and last year results (mola cause he is an uber runner, possibly the 2nd best after Yee)...
again, i am more excited about the women's despite Id love to see Gomez winning gold..

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Spaniard. Sorry for my english for the sensitive ones :P

Sorry, not an underdog, an A favorite, behind the A+ ones...

The biggest role National Team Coaches really play is on the developing athletes, and the next Gen, and hopefully with some of the current studs in the group to raise the level. That said in Canada, most of those development programs are run provincially rather than nationally, which is why it's hard to see the role of a National coach, when so many others are being coached independently. I suspect that there will be some reflection after this drama and figuring out what that role looks like moving forward, and who does it make sense to have in that role.

No spectators at the Olympics as Tokyo declairs a state of emergency..

https://www.gbnews.uk/...ency-declared/111407

Is the 3 athlete cap an IOC thing or a World Triathlon thing? I would prefer the whole top 30 auto qualify without regard to country. If that results in 3 or more for a country then that's the limit for that team. The Olympics are supposed to be the pinnacle of sport so I don't like seeing some of the top athletes left at home. As it stands the 3 athlete cap automatically meant that 3 of the top 11 women (4,8 and 10) will not be racing in Tokyo. It still leaves plenty of slots to arrange to meet the Olympic ideal of a diversity of countries included if you structure the rest of allocation properly.

i've said this before, but i think one thing that canada needs to answer for is churning through just a huge amount of talent, especially at the short course. the country pretty consistently punches above its weight in triathlon, i think, but the number of great athletes who have been chewed up and burned out/busted is really, really high. perhaps it's the same for other countries and it happens that i know canada's situation better, but my impression is that canada is particularly bad in this regard.

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https://lshtm.academia.edu/MikeCallaghan

http://howtobeswiss.blogspot.ch/

Not sure. Do you have many examples of juniors dominating and then not coming through? Or else? Obviously there was Paula, and maybe you're thinking about how Brent McMahon didn't last that long in ITU?

On a side note, as a Swiss (currently living in Australia), I enjoyed reading your howtobeswiss blog!

off the top of my head, I'm thinking groves, sweetland, mcglone, tichlaar, findlay ... I'm sure there are more.

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____________________________________
https://lshtm.academia.edu/MikeCallaghan

http://howtobeswiss.blogspot.ch/

Richard Murray in the Tokyo start list?? Had not he had surgery in his heart few weeks ago? Sullwald is in the top 130 or top 150, so could be picked...so I wonder if I am missing something cause sending Murray is risking the relay too...I have no idea if he is OK, does anyone know?

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Spaniard. Sorry for my english for the sensitive ones :P

Yeah he had surgery 3-4 weeks ago. Seems a bit crazy to expect him to race at the highest level in another two and a bit weeks

https://www.teamsa.co.za/murray-in-race-against-time-for-tokyo/

Their relay team hasn't been all that successful so probably not something they are prioritising.