Triathlon and Duathlon: Performance and Testing

About this Research Topic

Background

In a recent bibliometric analysis by Millet et al,. 2021, it was found that 69% of the articles and 75% of the citations in the sports science field focused on 9 sports [football (soccer), cycling, athletics, swimming, distance & marathon running, basketball, baseball, tennis, and rowing]. Therefore, Frontiers in Sports and Active Living has organized a series of Research Topics aimed at increasing the scientific output in "underrepresented" sports, including triathlon and duathlon.

Triathlon is an endurance multisport race that is comprised of swimming, cycling and running over various distances with the aim to complete the race in the fastest overall time. With three disciplines involved, the triathletes have to ensure that they have periodised training for each of the disciplines whilst training to achieve the endurance, strength, speed and focus needed to compete for the fastest completion time. Duathlon has a format similar to triathlons that replaces the swimming leg with a second run. This format follows a running leg followed by a cycling leg and then another running leg. Triathlon made its debut on the Olympic program in 2000 during the Sydney Games. Since then, triathlon and duathlon are growing in popularity, however, further research is still needed to understand the factors underpinning performance, as well as the mechanisms of injury and nutritional support that should be considered by athletes and coaches.

This Research Topic aims to build on the existing scientific literature on Triathlon and Duathlon and further explore training, testing and performance at the amateur and elite levels. Specifically, we welcome papers that address:

• Factors determining performance, including technical, physiological, biomechanical, psychological and nutritional factors

• Training interventions and testing in triathlon and duathlon

• Injury prevention and rehabilitation in triathlon and duathlon

• Acute and chronic effects of triathlon and duathlon

• Development pathways for triathlon and duathlon

• Recent developments within triathlon and duathlon research

Keywords: Triathlon, Duathlon, Performance, Testing

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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