Multisport dreaming: The foundations of triathlon in Australia

The sport of triathlon has evolved considerably since the first triathlon-like events were held in Australia in 1980 and 1981. The Australian triathlon journey is full of triumphs. Australia hosted the first Olympic triathlon and the first fully professional race series, and produced wave after wave of age group and elite ITU and Ironman world champions. Australia’s triathlon past is also full of drama, controversy and tragedy. Triathlon has grown so much in such a short time, but in reality, very little is known about the sport’s past. Multisport Dreaming captures a period in time that few remember and documents the foundational years of the sport in Australia. It charts the evolution of ITU, Ironman and age group racing and weaves together the individual stories of athletes, administrators, race directors and magazine publishers who helped to make the sport what it is today.