Media

Following the Triathlon & Paratriathlon Test Events on Saturday and Sunday, US and British athletes joined local swimmers for a workshop to offer training tips on Copacabana Beach in an initiative to connect with the local community ahead of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

With a massive crowd and media in attendance, the day opened with a Q&A session filled with tips from the USA’s Lindsey Jerdonek, Katie Zaferes, Tommy Zaferes, Kevin McDowell, Erin Jones, and Chelsea Burns, as well as Great Britain’s Alison Patrick, Andrew Lewis, Joseph Townsend and Faye Mcclelland. The athletes covered everything from technique to training tips to sighting and more.

Doctor and amateur triathlete Feliciano Azevedo said: “It was a wonderful initiative to bring elite athletes to talk to us. This brings the event closer to local people.”

After the session, Jones and McDowell got the crowds warmed up and ready for a dip in the sea with a few land drills.

Then they were off for a swim in the ocean!

High fives aplenty, this crowd couldn’t get enough of the athletes.

Luiz Lima, a coach who represented Brazil in swimming at the Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000 Games, was also present, and said: “It was a joy to share experiences with the best triathletes in the world, who are fighting for a place at the Rio Games or are already Olympians. It’s a real gift for us.”