The triathlon delivered in a major way at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Bermuda’s Flora Duffy broke the women’s Olympic record with a time of 1 hour, 55 minutes, 36 seconds. Norway’s Kristian Blummenfelt earned the first triathlon medal for his country, winning gold in the men’s event.
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And the 2020 Games saw the debut of the mixed team relay, featuring two men and two women from each nation and a gold medal for Great Britain (silver: United States, bronze: France).
Here’s how the field has since shaped up for the Paris Games.
Men's event
Alex Yee, 26, of Great Britain has emerged as the man to beat in Paris. Yee took silver in Tokyo and dominated the mixed team relay to earn gold for Great Britain. In 2023, Yee won two World Triathlon Championship Races (WTCS), as well as the Paris Test Event in August.
France’s Dorian Coninx won the 2023 world title, and his countryman Leo Bergere earned the 2022 crown. Both are expected to contend for medals in Paris. Coninx entered the spring as the No. 1 ranked male triathlete in the world, per WTCS.
Meanwhile, Blummenfelt struggled through sickness in 2023 and a grueling race schedule. He ranked ninth in the WTCS rankings as of March 6.
For the United States, Morgan Pearson has already punched his tickets to Paris. He competed in Tokyo and helped power the U.S. to the mixed relay silver medal.
Women's event
After her record in Tokyo, the 36-year-old Duffy has suffered through a major knee injury. The defending Olympic champion even told reporters she contemplated retirement and hit rock bottom in December 2023.
But treatments have since rejuvenated her, and she’s been training actively for Paris. Duffy will aim to become the first female triathlete to defend an Olympic title.
Two-time Olympic medalist Georgia Taylor-Brown of Great Britain also slogged through 2023, hampered by a calf muscle tear. Her status for Paris, as of the spring, is unclear.
With those two sidelined, Great Britain’s Beth Potter has emerged as the gold medal favorite. At 32, she was the WTCS No. 1 female as of March and won the world title in 2023. Potter also reigned supreme at the Paris Test Event.
France’s Cassandre Beaugrand and Emma Lombardi rank Nos. 2 and 3 in the WTCS standings and will fight Potter for gold.
Taylor Knibb of the U.S. also qualified for Paris in August and will compete at her second consecutive Olympic Games.
SEE MORE: Taylor Knibb set for first U.S. Olympic triathlon spot after swim in the Seine