Triathlon is warming up for the Tokyo test event in more ways than one. Anticipation is building among athletes looking to all but guarantee Olympic and Paralympic selection and fans who will be granted a window into how next year’s Games might play out. And then, well, there’s the weather… Advertisement If 2016 in Rio was predicted to be hot, racing along the famous Copacabana stretch has nothing on what competitors are bracing themselves for at the Japanese capital’s Odaiba Marine Park. Last year the nearby city of Kumagaya logged a record 41.1 degree Celsius and start-times have already been moved forward to 8am (7.30am for the test event) to try…

We were sad to hear the news that renowned multisport photographer, Michael Rauschendorfer, has died aged 51 following a battle with cancer. His photos have graced the pages of 220 and website for many years, in particular his fantastic images from the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. Our condolences are with his family and friends at this difficult time.  Click Here: liverpool mens jersey Advertisement Fellow photographer Delly Carr wrote these words about his colleague and friend, for the ITU Advertisement To honour his exceptional talent, below is a selection of his stunning photographs from the Ironman World Championships. 

Britain’s Jess Learmonth and Georgia Taylor-Brown crossed the line hand-in-hand in a shortened Olympic test event in Tokyo – and were disqualified for intentionally trying to tie. Advertisement It was the final twist in a dramatic morning of triathlon in Tokyo that had seen concerns over heat stress halve the run distance to 5km, world number one Katie Zafares crash out on the bike, and two-time world champion Flora Duffy return after more than a year out to be crowned the eventual victor. The disqualifications also meant Vicky Holland, who needed a podium finish to guarantee Olympic selection, was promoted to third, which would have confirmed her slot for Tokyo…

Tyler Mislawchuk took victory in the men’s Tokyo test event that in contrast to the women’s race the day before was almost completely drama-free. Advertisement There was no shortened run course, no disqualifications for contrived ties and no discussion over whether performances would counted towards Olympic qualification criteria or not. And three days shy of his 25th birthday, Canadian Mislawchuk could celebrate early as he outstripped Norway’s Casper Stornes in the closing stages to take the tape in 1:49:50 and the biggest win of his career. New Zealand’s Hayden Wilde finished third, with Jonny Brownlee, who would have guaranteed his Olympic selection with a podium, in fifth, 37sec behind the…

Lauren Steadman, Joe Townsend and Dave Ellis, guided by Tim Don, were the British winners as the Paratriathlon World Cup doubling as the Paralympic test event took place in Tokyo. Advertisement In what has been a difficult week for organisers, the races were switched to a duathlon after early morning water tests showed high levels of E-Coli in Odaiba Marine Bay. It meant the traditional first leg of a 750m swim was replaced with a 2.5km run, with the usual 20km bike and 5km run to follow. The change of format did not deter the British contingent, with Townsend taking advantage of the absence of imperious Dutch duo Jetze Plat…

Great Britain’s Alex Yee lost out by the slimmest of margins to France’s Dorian Coninx in a thrilling finish to the Tokyo mixed relay test event. Advertisement The British quartet of Jess Learmonth, Gordon Benson, Georgia Taylor-Brown and Yee, had led from the start and the contest looked to be heading their way on the anchor leg, when Yee strode out of transition for the final 2km run. But France’s Dorian Coninx, a World Triathlon Series winner in Bermuda in April, refused to be shaken off and had enough energy left for a sprint finish on the blue carpet, where the two had to be separated by a photo-finish. It…

1. Duffy holds the key. Two-time ITU world champion Bermudan Flora Duffy, who hadn’t raced at this level for over a year because of injury, provided a timely reminder of how she dictates women’s triathlon racing. A case in point is that as one of the best swimmers and the strongest cyclist, Duffy’s presence means the Olympic race is likely to be decided by a breakaway – even on a flat course such as Tokyo. The only caveat to this is Switzerland’s Nicola Spirig, who races sparingly, but can perhaps match Duffy’s power on two wheels, and has the potential to bring a chase pack back into contention. The Spirig…

The International Triathlon Union has fought persistently and successfully to add the mixed team relay to the Olympic programme and a third gold medal to triathlon’s lot. Advertisement The greater showcase is welcome. The International Olympic Committee, while not currently in the habit of axing sports, has needed some persuasion to retain modern pentathlon and wrestling on its roster in recent years, so improving the popularity of tri through the two-woman, two-man contest helps further weave it into the fabric of the Games.  Having been showcased in Commonwealth competition and become increasingly commonplace on the World Triathlon Series, it has few detractors, but what the format receives in plaudits, it…

Jonnie plans to work with a group of disabled children to show them, and their families, that there are no barriers to participating in sport and physical activities given the right support and tools. Advertisement He is now on the search for up to four disabled children aged between 8 and 15 to join Jonnie’s Blade Camp (working title) which will air on Channel 4 in 2020.  Jonnie said: “My own story and those of many Paralympians prove sport and an active lifestyle is possible regardless of disability.  “Giving disabled youngsters the support and encouragement they need to stay active doesn’t just help them physically, it can potentially provide them…

Champion-elect Katie Zafares knows staying upright on the bike will be her top priority if she’s to achieve a richly deserved first world title in the World Triathlon Series Grand Final in Lausanne on Saturday. Advertisement The 30-year-old American came a cropper in the Olympic test event in Tokyo a fortnight ago where she appeared to catch her wheel on a barrier leg and was fortunate not to be more seriously injured. But despite the scare and battle scars she will line up in Switzerland a clear favourite after one of the most dominant WTS campaigns since the series inception in 2009. Zafares will add any points gained from the…