The Tokyo 2020 Mixed Relay Triathlon is here! Get the lowdown on which teams to look out for in the event’s first-ever Olympic appearance.
Following the thrilling win from Kristian Blummenfelt in the men’s race and the dominance of Flora Duffy in the women’s event, it’s hard to imagine more exciting triathlon action but the first-ever Olympic Mixed Relay Triathlon has the potential to be just that.
17 teams will line up to do battle in what could be the Tokyo 2020 Games’ most spectacular event. Here’s how it works and which teams to look out for.
The Mixed Relay Format
Teams have qualified for the event either through their Mixed Relay Series Ranking, by performing at a qualification event or by qualifying a minimum of two men and two women for the individual triathlon events.
Each athlete will complete a mini-triathlon of a 300m swim, a two-lap 6.8km bike and two-lap 2km run before handing over to their next teammate. The race is run in women-man-woman-man order and the first team to complete all four of these super-sprint races will be crowned Olympic Champions – the first in Olympic history.
The course is a more compact variation of the one used for the individual Olympic triathlons, using Odaiba Park as the venue with the swim in Tokyo Bay. That means it’ll be warm water then flat and technical on the bike before a flat, fast run.
Teams To Watch
Team Great Britain
After Britain’s massive success in the individual races with pair of Silver medals, the team will be flying high with a strong belief they can secure the gold in the Mixed Relay. Second to France in the 2019 Mixed Relay Test Event, a stronger team will be going for Gold.
Georgia Taylor-Brown, Johnny Brownlee, Jessica Learmonth and Alex Yee will provide fearsome competition for the other teams with the speed needed to perform at this historical event. They also have Rio Bronze medallist Vicky Holland in reserve, underlining the talent at the team’s disposal.
Team USA
Team USA were silver medallists at the 2020 Mixed Relay world champs as well as third at the 2019 Test Event in the Tokyo heat. With rising star Morgan Pearson on the team as well as the morale boost from Katie Zaferes’ Bronze medal, the USA will be driving hard for more success.
Katie Zaferes, Morgan Pearson, Summer Rappaport and Kevin McDowell (sixth in the individual race) are a balanced team of all-rounders with the strength to hit the podium. They can also call upon Taylor Knibb as a reserve.
Team France
France go into the race as one of the favourite teams having won the Mixed Relay World Championships for the last three years as well as the 2019 Olympic Test Event. With Leonie Periault (fifth in the women’s race), Vincent Luis. Cassandre Beaugrand and Dorian Coninx – plus Leo Bergere in reserve, France have a very strong team.
What remains to be seen is whether their general underperformance in the individual races – with the exception of Periault – will soften their confidence or give them the extra incentive to push for Gold.
Team Australia
Australia have a good record in the Mixed Relay, coming first at the world champs in 2017 then second and third in 2018 and 2019. They also scored Gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on home soil.
The team of Ashleigh Gentle, Matt Hauser, Emma Jeffcoat and Jake Birtwhistle certainly have the strength and experience to claim a medal. But like France, the country didn’t live up to its impressive Olympic legacy in the individual races – Birtwhistle being the best performer with 16th place.
In the Mixed Relay Triathlon, we’ll get the opportunity to see whether the athletes were saving themselves for glory or simply outclassed. As the only nation to qualify six athletes to the Games, the Aussies have both Aaron Royale and Jaz Hedgeland in reserve.
Team New Zealand
New Zealand is another team the could capitalise on the high of Olympic success with Hayden Wilde’s Bronze medal bound to buoy up the team for the Mixed Relay. Ranked fourth in the world at the discipline, this young Kiwi team took the U23/Junior Mixed Relay world champs in 2019.
Nicole Van Der Kaay, Tayler Reid and Ainsley Thorpe are all solid athletes though Wilde is the star performer here. Assuming Wilde is taking on the anchor leg, if the preceding trio can put them near the podium, ‘The Falcon’ could just boost them up onto it.
Team Belgium
Belgium will see the return of Jelle Geens to the squad for the Mixed Relay, the star having missed the individual race due to isolation from a Covid positive. That makes for a seriously strong team with ‘The Belgian Hammers’ fielding Claire Michel, Geens, Valerie Barthelemy (10th in the women’s race) and Marten van Riel (fourth in the men’s race).
With that talent combined with the team’s experience, don’t be surprised to see the Belgians vying for a podium spot.
