The Abu Dhabi triathlon celebrates its five-year anniversary next month with the first staging of the mixed team relay that will make its debut at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Teams consist of four athletes (two men, two women) who must complete a cycle of 300-metre swim, 6.6-kilometre bike ride and 1km run.
Organisers said the team relay event has already received 15 entries from respective national teams who will compete alongside the world's elite triathletes.
“The world’s best in both the individual and the relay teams will be heading to Abu Dhabi with it being an Olympic qualification year,” said Marisol Casado, president of the International Triathlon Union and International Olympic Committee member, at the event launch at Abu Dhabi Sports Council headquarters on Saturday.
The ITU World Triathlon Abu Dhabi has once again attracted the world's elite triathletes for the men's and women's individual events.
Henri Schoeman, the South African who won last year's race in Abu Dhabi, goes head to head with the world No 1 Mario Mola of Spain in the men's race while the women's champion Rachel Klamer of the Netherlands faces Briton Vickey Holland and Katie Zafares of the United States, the World No 1 and 2, respectively.
Aref Al Awani, general secretary of ADSC, refelected on how far the Abu Dhabi Triathlon had come in such a shot period.
“Five years later, and I am delighted to tell you that we have hosted four successful World Triathlon Series events, welcoming the world’s best triathletes alongside 10,000 amateur triathletes of all ages,” he said. “Not only that, but Abu Dhabi has also been awarded the host venue for the 2022 ITU Grand Final.
“To see our vision become a reality is testament to the hard-work that we have put in, alongside the ITU, the UAE Triathlon Federation, our sponsors Daman and many other valued stakeholders.
“We have consistently attracted triathlon’s biggest names, and I’m delighted that 2019 is no different.
“The handful of athletes revealed today is just the tip of what is set to be the strongest athlete field ever seen in the capital.”
The two-day event takes place at Yas Marina Circuit on March 8-9 and will bring together 110 elite triathletes vying for a slice of the US$200,000 (Dh735,000) and over 2,500 amateur competitors.
This year’s event is also set to become the most inclusive in history, with athletes participating in next month’s Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019 also taking part.
