Nineteen countries will be represented in the Triathlon competition at the 19th edition of the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, this week and will be on show with the individual men’s event staged on Friday 29th September, the women’s event on Saturday 30th September and the thrilling mixed relay format taking place on Monday 2nd October. Triathlon has been a part of the Asian Games schedule since the event in Doha in 2006.

The Triathlon course in Hangzhou features a 2-lap swim (1.5km) in the lake at the Chun’an Jieshou Sports Centre, followed by a technical bike course over 6-laps (40km) and finishes with a hilly 4-lap run course (10km), surrounded by the mountainous landscape, that will certainly challenge the athletes on race day.

Athletes are chasing valuable Olympic points and ranking in the 2023 Asian Games Hangzhou.

MEN’S PREVIEW
Japan’s Kenji Nener and Makoto Odakura are set to headline the individual men’s race on Friday. Both men have come straight from the Championship Finals in Pontevedra, Spain, to compete in the Asian Games.

“It’s honestly been a struggle for me after getting sick before Paris. I have been trying to get the ball rolling in races but I’m yet to put down a race that I can be proud of, since falling ill.  This course is dynamic. There are rolling sections and there are punchy sections. If this course was on the WTCS circuit I would probably say it would be the hardest we have had this year. I would probably call this Leo Bergere’s and Hayden Wilde’s dream course,” said Kenji Nener.

Kazakhstan’s Ayan Beisenbayev is next on the start list after winning gold in the 2023 Asia Triathlon Cup and Central Asian Championships Samarkand and securing bronze in the 2023 Asia Triathlon Cup Sejong.

Hong Kong’s Jason Tai Long Ng crossed the 2023 World Triathlon Cup Weihai in 7th position and will be one to watch in Hangzhou. Long Ng also claimed the bronze medal in the 2023 Asia Triathlon U23 and Junior Championships Gamagori.

China’s Junjie Fan will be aiming to produce a strong result in front of a home crowd after earning silver in the 2023 Asia Triathlon Cup Lianyungang.

Brothers, Omar and Abdallah Abushabab (PLE) are strong contenders on the Asia Triathlon race circuit. Both athletes bring solid form with them to China, having been training for the past month in Phuket, Thailand, so are conditioned for the hot and humid conditions that Hangzhou will deliver on race day.

31 Elite men will line up on Friday to compete for glory in the Asian Games in Hangzhou across the challenging Standard-distance race format, review the full start list.

WOMEN’S PREVIEW
Defending Asian Games champion Yuko Takahashi (JPN) will wear number one and lead the elite women onto the pontoon in Saturday’s Elite women’s 2023 Asian Games Hangzhou competition. Olympian Takahashi is one of Japan’s most highest-profile triathletes who recently finished in fourteenth place in the 2023 Championship Finals in Pontevedra, Spain. Takahashi was 8th place in the 2023 World Triathlon Cup Valencia and 11th 2023 World Triathlon Championship Series Sunderland and is working towards another Olympic selection for team Japan in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

“I have good memories from the last Asian Games, so I’m really excited to race again here as a defending champion. It’s a great opportunity to get Olympic points as well,” said Yuko Takahashi.

2023 Asia Triathlon Cup and Central Asian Championships Cholpon-Ata champion Ekaterina Shabalina of Kazakhstan will wear number two in the individual women’s race in Hangzhou. Shabalina has had a wealth of race experience in 2023 after competing in the 2023 World Triathlon Olympic Games Test Event Paris (53rd) and the 2023 World Triathlon Cup Yeongdo (21st).

China’s Xinyu Lin has had a standout season with impressive race setups on the world stage in the 2023 World Triathlon Cup Weihai (16th), 2023 World Triathlon Championship Series Montreal (54th), bronze medal in the 2023 Asia Triathlon Cup Lianyungang and 2023 World Triathlon Championship Series Yokohama (34th). Lin will be aiming to stick with the leaders on race day in order to deliver a podium result in front of a home crowd.

Another contender to watch will be Marion Kim Mangrobang (PHI), gold medallist in the 2023 Phnom Penh South East Asian Games Duathlon and silver medallist in the 2023 Phnom Penh South East Asian Games Triathlon and will have her sights on a medal at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou.

24 Elite women will line up to compete in the 2023 Asian Games Hangzhou on Saturday, review the full start list.

THE COMPETITION SCHEDULE
29 September 2023 (Friday) 08:00–10:30 Men Individual
30 September 2023 (Saturday) 8:00–10:30 Women Individual
02 October 2023 (Monday) 08:00–10:30 Mixed Relay

THE RACE FORMATS
Individual:
Swim 1.5km (2 laps)
Bike 40km (6 laps)
Run 10km (4 laps)

4X4 Mixed Relay:
Swim 300m (1 lap)
Bike 6.67km (1 lap)
Run 1.86km (1 lap)