Talent ID Program
USA Triathlon’s Talent ID Program identifies, mentors, and supports world class runners with a solid swim background, and world class swimmers with significant running experience, whose unique skillsets could translate to success at the highest level of World Triathlon Draft-Legal racing. The TID program’s main focus is to assist athletes in the first two years of their professional career, and help kickstart their pursuit of the Olympic Games.
The target demographic for this program are collegiate athletes, around the ages of 20-23, who have proven success in both running and swimming (see Time Standards Guide), and are committed to the pursuit of a professional career in endurance sport.
Previous graduates of USA Triathlon’s Talent ID Program include:
- 2016 Olympic gold medalist Gwen Jorgensen
- 2020 Olympic silver and bronze medalist Katie Zaferes
- 2x Olympic silver medalist, Morgan Pearson
- Olympians, Summer Rappaport, Taylor Spivey, and Kirsten Kasper
- National Team Athletes, Matt McElroy, Rene Tomlin, Chelsea Burns
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How the Talent ID Program Works#
The USA Triathlon Talent ID Program focuses solely on draft-legal World Triathlon racing with the goal of helping specially-identified athletes go from being introduced to the sport of triathlon to being a self-sustained professional triathlete over the course of two years. This program is highly exclusive, and only a few athletes are selected each year. The following is an example of the selection process and how the athlete goes from being eligible to being selected.
Based on an athlete’s current, past, and/or projected swim and run metrics, USA Triathlon (USAT) will determine whether or not an invite to a Talent ID camp is warranted. If an athlete receives an invite to a TID camp, they will move onto step 2.
At camp athletes will get thorough mentorship from world class coaches, and learn everything from A -Z about draft-legal triathlon. 50% of camp will be focused on teaching athletes bike skills, but there will also be swimming and running involved. Athletes will be assessed on their attitude, adeptness, mentality, bike skills, and commitment. After camp, if athlete is interested in pursuing a future in draft-legal triathlon, they will move on to step 3.
After camp every athlete will have an individual call to discuss their next steps. Each athlete will have a different pathway that makes sense for them personally, and USAT will help the athlete create a future plan of action. Once a decision has been made on the athlete’s future pathway, a select few will move onto step 4.
Funding agreements are all discretionary and personal to each athlete, and will describe in detail what funding, gear, and incentives the program can provide the athlete. Agreements get updated every 3 months, and will continue for a maximum of 2 years. If athlete fails to stay uninjured, or hit basic race metrics for multiple agreements, then their position in the CRP program will be reassessed and they will be given specific incentives to hit to be able to continue in the program.
After signing the agreement, athlete will work with USAT to roughly map out the season, complete all necessary paperwork, get connected with a proper coaching/training environment, and execute on performance metrics.
Time Standards #
Women's Standards
Women's Standards, opens in a new tabMen's Standards
Men's Standards, opens in a new tabJunior Girls Standards
Junior Girls Standards, opens in a new tabJunior Boys Standards
Junior Boys Standards, opens in a new tab
Swim & Run Metrics
World Leading swim and run times are an average of what the top athletes at the WTCS level are capable of doing in those individual events.
Internationally Ranked swim and run times are an average of what the top athletes at the World Cup level are capable of doing in those individual events.
Nationally Competitive swim and run times are an average of what the top athletes at the Continental Cup level are capable of doing in those individual events.
Development Potential swim and run times are an average of what the top athletes at domestic DraftLegal races are capable of doing in those individual events.
Bike Metrics
The bike data is what can be expected IN an actual draft legal triathlon race.
World leading = World Triathlon Championship Series
Internationally Ranked = World Cup
Nationally Competitive = Continental Cup
Development Potential = Domestic Draft-Legal
Draft-Legal Triathlon Basics #
Olympic style triathlon is made up of swimming, cycling, and running, and the Olympic Games include two events: Individual Race and Team Mixed Relay.
- The individual Olympic distance race is a 1.5k swim (.9 mile) / 40k bike (24.8 mile) / 10k run (6.2 mile).
- The Mixed Relay is made up of 2 men and 2 women where each athlete completes a mini-triathlon: 300m swim / 6k bike (3.7 mile) / 1.6k run (1 mile)
- Discover the Men's race and Women's race at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
The bike is “draft-legal” which means you ride a road bike (not a time trial bike) and athletes are allowed to ride in a group (as opposed to solo).
USA Triathlon is the National Federation and World Triathlon is the International Federation.
There are three levels of World Triathlon racing: Continental Cup, World Cup, and World Triathlon Championship Series.
You earn points at each race and those points determine both your country ranking and world ranking.
Prize money is ALWAYS equal for men and women at every race around the world.
Personal/Individual sponsorships are allowed (even encouraged) when racing for the USA Triathlon National Team.
Additional racing opportunities (in addition to the Olympic-Distance and Team Mixed Relay):
- Sprint-Distance (750m swim / 20k bike / 5k run)
- Super Sprint (300m Swim / 7k bike / 2.5k run) - this race format typically coincides with a Semi-Finals & Finals Format
- Eliminator (Multiple rounds of Super Sprint Distance where the last 10 athletes are eliminated)
- eSports World Championships (Indoor triathlon raced in a pool, and on a virtual platform for the bike and run. The bike and run are on trainers and a treadmill)
Equipment necessary: Triathlon suit, swim cap, goggles, road bike, triathlon bike shoes, helmet, run shoes
Triathlon Basics
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