USA Triathlon Announces Olympic Qualification Process

USA Triathlon today announced the international events that will serve as 2016 Olympic Games qualifying opportunities for American triathletes.

The criterion, which was proposed by USAT and then approved by the National Governing Body’s Board of Directors and the U.S. Olympic Committee, includes two events in 2015 and one in 2016. Below is a very basic look at how athletes will qualify for the U.S. team. Check back to Triathlete.com in the coming weeks as we further analyze how athletes will earn the right to compete at these events and how the number of spots available on the U.S. team will be determined.

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U.S. Olympic Triathlon Team Qualification

1. The selection period for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Triathlon Team begins in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 1-2 with the ITU test event. U.S. elite triathletes competing in the Rio de Janeiro ITU World Olympic Qualification Event must finish in the top eight overall to automatically qualify for an Olympic Games spot, and a maximum of two athletes per gender may qualify.
2. If two spots are not earned at the Rio de Janeiro ITU World Olympic Qualification Event, one automatic qualifying spot will be available at the ITU World Triathlon Grand Final in Chicago on Sept. 18-19, granted the athlete finishes in the top eight.
3. The third selection event will be an ITU Olympic-distance, draft-legal event to be held between March 1-May 31, 2016, with exact dates and location to be determined. Event information and specific qualification details will be posted at usatriathlon.org within seven days of ITU posting the final 2016 calendar of events.

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