The triathlon made simple

Still only a baby of a sport, having been concocted in 1974 by a group of Californians who presumably were not good enough at swimming, running or cycling on its own and so combined all three in one event that would reduce swimmers to tears when they had to run and cycle and vice versa.

Triathlon gained in notoriety with the advent of the Hawaii Ironman race in 1978, the result of a very foolish bet in a bar, no doubt. The Ironman (and woman) took any remaining fun out of the sport by being held over extreme distances: a 2.4-mile swim precedes a 112-mile cycle ride with a marathon to complete matters.

The Ironman continues to this day, contested annually in October on the shores (and in the waters) of Waikiki, but it is not an Olympic event. If it were, a Belgian (Luc van Lierde) would be hot favourite and the race coverage would last all day: the women's event takes more than nine hours.

In 1989, the less crazy officials of the International Triathlon Union inaugurated a world championships that sought to put some of the fun back. That year in Avignon, France, the first sensible world championships involved a swim of just 1500m, a cycle ride of only 40km (25 miles) and a run of a modest 10km. Erin Baker, a New Zealander, and the American Mark Allen took the titles.

The men's runner-up, Glenn Cook, was British and things would get even better for GB. In the 11 subsequent championships two British men - Simon Lessing and Spencer Smith - have mustered six titles between them. Smith had a little trouble with a nandrolone positive last year - but don't we all? - and went off for a spell of strength (see The Brits).

The first rule of triathlon is that whoever leads after the swim finishes nowhere. The second rule is that the best runner wins. So it is possible to watch the last half-hour of both races and not miss any of the excitement. Unless, of course, you get off on people having to change clothes very quickly.

The Brits

Simon Lessing knew from the word go that he wanted to be British. Well, as the South Africans were still excluded from world sport when he wanted to compete internationally, the only chance he had on Sunday week.

The best

If there was one sport the Australians were desperate to have in the Sydney Olympics, it was the triathlon. The reason: a trio of ominously powerful women - Michellie Jones, Loretta Harrop and Nicole Hackett - who the Olympic hosts feel sure will bless them with the first title of the Games.

So good in depth are the Aussies that it was a messy old affair even selecting the team as Emma Carney and Jackie Gallagher (both former world champions) took legal advice. Harrop has had a knee injury, so of the three who did get the call the two-time world champion Jones should strike gold.

Is it worth waiting for?

If dangerous sports are your cup of tea, this is the one for you. Sharks (at least of the fish variety) have never previously figured in an Olympics and the Australians are doing their best to keep it that way, employing divers with sonar devices to frighten the predatory creatures away from the Port Jackson swim course. A senior Sydney official hardly instilled confidence, though, when he suggested that the noise created by a group of swimmers would put the sharks off. But in Jaws didn't Richard Dreyfus say that noise attracts the killers?