Media

ITU representatives met with BOCOG officials this past week in preparations for the Triathlon Competition at the Beijing Olympic Games in August.  The two Technical Delegates for the Games, Gergely Markus and Enrique Quesada, along with Head Referee Thanos Nikopoulos, were in Beijing for three days to review the plans and preparations for the Olympic triathlon on August 18th and 19th. 

We are really pleased with the level of preparation by the BOCOG Triathlon Competition Management, stated Co-TD Markus. During the two and a half days of meetings we were able to agree on all the pending issues and set the milestones of the last 140 days of work. The venue construction department accepted all our proposals from the experience of the Test Event.  We are confident that everything will be ready on time and Beijing will welcome the Triathlon family with exceptional facilities and services.

The delegation reviewed all aspects of the competition from the course to the live television broadcast and was impressed by the level of organisation five months out from the competition.  There is one more site visit scheduled for the ITU technical team in June, when most of the temporary and permanent construction will be in place.

We feel we are 99% ready for the Games, added Quesada. The venues and facilities are of the top level and we feel confident the event will showcase our sport to the global audience.

There were very few outstanding issues raised due to the team work of the ITU delegation and the luxury of two unofficial test events on the Olympic site in 2005 and 2006.  Minor changes were made to the venue construction but the Olympic course will remain the same.

Major points from the site visit:
- Final course review
- Extra stabilization of start pontoon
- Enlargement of Run turnaround point
- Reconstructing the top and bottom of the spillway (to have a natural way for the water to flow in case of rain)
- Preliminary Beijing Olympic Broadcast plan approved
- Training venues approved
- Tickets to the triathlon competitions (9,000 seats) are close to being sold out

Click here for ITUs Official Olympic website

Click here to read Chris Hills Olympic Odyssey column