Beijing Olympic triathlon route needs trial: ITU president

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, March 30, 2004

Beijing Olympic triathlon route needs trial: ITU president

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The triathlon competition route for the Beijing Olympic Games, which has not been ratified by the International Triathlon Union (ITU), needs to be tested in the inaugural Beijing International Triathlon in September, ITU President Les McDonald said Monday in Beijing.

Les McDonald told Xinhua that he inspected the route around theShisanling Reservoir, 50 kilometers northwest to Beijing, which will be tried in the Beijing International Triathlon slated for September 12.

"However," he said, "we have to wait after the Beijing International to listen to participants' opinion before the final decision is made."

Among all the competitions in the Beijing Games, triathlon is the only one whose venue and route have not been decided. Beijing had planned to put it in the Ti'anmen area, which can best represent Beijing and China, but gave up due to technical reasons.

McDonald thinks that the Shisanling route is OK but needs improvement.

"We haven't got an ideal alternative up to now. A lot of work still need to be done to improve the current route," he said.

"We also need to ask the IOC and professionals to discuss the technical details."

McDonald praised Athens' triathlon route as exciting and hoped Beijing could do better. The triathlon is to take place along Athens coastline in Vouliagmeni area, about 17 kilometers southeast of center.

The upcoming Beijing international will serve as a pre-match ofnext year's World Cup event in the Chinese capital.

McDonald is keen to have a World Cup meeting in Beijing before the 2008 Olympic Games. He hopes Beijing to be best prepared for this sport through holding more international competitions from now on.

Triathlon, which doesn't have a long history in China, entered the Olympic Games in Sydney four years ago.

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