65th Festival of Sport – 2022 Age Group Triathlon will be held on 24 July (Sunday) at Tai Mei Tuk Water Sports Centre. Swimming is the first part of a triathlon race. Do you know how athletes adapt to swimming in open water?

The standard Olympic distance of a triathlon race requires athletes to complete a 1.5km swim, a 40km bike ride, and a 10km run in order. The swimming race is usually held in open water, such as seas or lakes. Athletes will start at a floating platform together and complete the designated route and distance by passing through all the buoys. Because of the unpredictable sea waves, currents, and no clear-cut lanes in open water, athletes will compete for the best position after entering the water, favouring them to swim to the buoys with shortest distance. It is challenging to an athlete’s physical fitness, sense of direction, and ability to jockey for position. Therefore, the coach usually assigns four athletes to swim together in a single lane in a swimming pool, allowing them to adapt to the crowdedness after entering the water and strengthen their ability to jockey for position, resulting in a higher chance to win.