COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (BRAIN)—The sport of triathlon was born Sept. 25, 1974 when the first-ever swim-bike-run competition was held in San Diego's Mission Bay. To celebrate the milestone, USA Triathlon has special web and print coverage highlighting historical moments that have shaped the sport.
USA Triathlon received nominations from members of the multisport community over the summer as candidates for the top moments to be covered. The list was narrowed down to 40 and USAT and other key players in the sport then ranked it. USAT announced the top 11-40 in early September, and fan voting determined the order of the top-10 historical moments.
The list was named "The 40 Bricks that Built Triathlon", and includes the inclusion of the sport in the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the first Age Group National Championships in 1983 and the birth of Ironman in 1978 in Honolulu, Hawaii.
But topping the list was the race that spawned a new sport in San Diego on September 25, 1974. The first triathlon was held by Jack Johnstone and Don Shanahan and was attended by 46 people who paid $1 each to complete a 6-mile run, 5-mile bike and a 500-yard swim.
The full top-40 list can be viewed at usatriathlon.org/bricks.
The fall 2014 issue of USA Triathlon Magazine is also dedicated to triathlon's birthday, with features on U.S. Olympians, the evolution of nutrition and the adoption of new gear and technologies over the years, among others. The sport's key athletes also share some of their favorite swim-bike-run moments. The print magazine lands in mailboxes starting October 16.
To learn more about the past four decades of triathlon, visit usatriathlon.org/40years.
