#Event Description and Format -- Triathlon#
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The triathlon is new to the Olympics and will be held on one day
-- September 16 for women and September 17 for men -- at the
Triathlon Course. 

The competition begins with a 1,500-meter open-water swim,
continues with a 40-kilometer bicycle ride and concludes with a
10,000-meter run. 

The first swim-bike-run triathlon was held in San Diego on
September 25, 1974 and the first official world championship
took place in Avignon, France in 1989. 

The 50 entrants -- for both competitions -- qualify through
world rankings, although each nation is limited to three
competitors per event. 

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