How to qualify in Triathlon
How triathletes qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics
Triathlon at Los Angeles 2028 has three events: men's and women's individual races and a mixed relay (two men, two women). There are 110 places, 55 per gender. A country can have two per gender, or three if it has three athletes in the top 30 of the Olympic ranking. A country with two men and two women can race the relay.
Places already won. France won the 2026 Mixed Relay World Championships in Hamburg (12 July 2026), so France has two men's and two women's places.
Still to come (per gender):
- 2027 Mixed Relay World Championships: two places for the winner's country.
- Mixed relay Olympic ranking (18 May 2028): two places each for the best country on each continent (if in the top 15), then the best others, up to eight countries.
- Individual Olympic ranking, 18 May 2026 to 18 May 2028: the top 21 athletes.
- Continental Games: the best country not yet qualified at each continent's Games. For Asia, that is the 2026 Asian Games.
- World Triathlon Ranking: one more country per continent not yet qualified.
- Host (two per gender) and two universality places.
Places (per gender)
| Route | Places |
|---|---|
| Host (United States) | 2 |
| 2026 Mixed Relay World Championships (France) | 2 |
| 2027 Mixed Relay World Championships | 2 |
| Mixed relay Olympic ranking (two each, up to eight countries including one per continent) | 16 |
| Individual Olympic ranking, top 21 | 21 |
| Continental Games, one per continent | 5 |
| World Triathlon Ranking, one per continent | 5 |
| Universality | 2 |
| Total | 55 |
- Relay routes: if the winning country has already qualified or lacks two eligible men and two eligible women, the next country takes the places.
- Individual ranking: a country's best two athletes are left out of the individual ranking if it already has places from the relay routes.
- Continental Games order: African Games, Pan American Games, Asian Games, European Games, Pacific Games. The place goes to the best-placed country at those Games not yet qualified when qualification closes, so it is decided in May 2028, not at the Games.
- World Triathlon Ranking places: in the order Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceania; cancelled and passed on if the country later qualifies another way.
The 2026 Asian Games
China won the mixed relay at the 2026 Asian Games, ahead of Japan. Takumi Hojo (Japan) won the men's race and Lin Xinyu (China) the women's. Because the Asian continental place goes to the best country not otherwise qualified in May 2028, it may pass down the results to another Asian country.
Who can race
Born on or before 31 December 2010; the same national federation throughout; in the top 160 of the World Triathlon Ranking by 18 May 2028.
Places turned down
Relay and ranking places: the next country on the individual Olympic ranking. Continental Games places: the next country from that continent at those Games, then the individual ranking.
Dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 18 May 2026 | Ranking period starts |
| 12 July 2026 | Mixed Relay World Championships, Hamburg (France won) |
| 2026 | Asian Games triathlon, Japan |
| 2027 (venue to be confirmed) | Mixed Relay World Championships |
| 1 October 2027 to 15 January 2028 | Universality requests |
| 18 May 2028 | Rankings taken |
| By 22 May 2028 | Places announced |
| 5 June 2028 | Countries confirm |
| 26 June 2028 | Entries deadline for the Games |
| 14 to 30 July 2028 | LA28 Olympic Games |
Where to follow it
triathlon.org publishes the Olympic qualification rankings.