Triathlon

Three disciplines and just two gold medals up for grabs, triathlon is not for those faint of heart.

Combining the three unique and challenging disciplines of swimming, cycling and running, triathlon demonstrates the fitness and endurance as well as the mental and physical strength of some of the world’s most talented athletes.

Athletes start with a 1500-metre open-water swim before a transition to a 40 kilometre road cycle, finishing off with a challenging 10 kilometre run. Depending on an athlete’s individual strength, strategy plays a major role in trying to stay ahead of the pack.

A relative newcomer to the Commonwealth Games the sport was first featured on the Manchester 2002 Games' programme where England's brightest medal hope was Simon Lessing - a four-time world champion who nine years before had won silver at the ITU World Championships in Manchester. Unfortunately the first Commonwealth title was not to be as he finished fourth with fellow Englishman Andrew Johns in 7th.

Over the years however England have improved to go from four top ten finishes to six, and there are high hopes for the future as the sport continues to make its mark on the Games' programme.

Did you know: England's Timothy Don was just five seconds away from preventing an all-Australasian podium finish at the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.

The governing body for England's triathlon team is Triathlon England.