On March 8, International Women’s Day, ITU is proud to announce that female participation increased from 33% to 35% last year among its age group and elite athletes. ITU would also like to congratulate those National Federations (NFs) that boast higher-than-average female race entries, which includes a list of more than 50 NFs.

Bermuda is a prime example of a National Federation spearheading the path for female participation in triathlon with 59% of their entrants at ITU-sanctioned races coming from women. Bermuda is joined by Guatemala, Poland, Canada & the US as top NFs that enjoy significant presence from women on ITU start lists.

Although those are great numbers of which we are extremely proud, there is still room to improvement, and ITU is working with many countries to promote women in our sport by organizing development camps and education opportunities.

But is not only a matter of gender balance in our athletes. Equal opportunities for men and women are part of triathlon’s DNA, as well as a part of ITU’s constitution. We have one of the very few sports in which, since the very beginning, men and women compete in the same distances and for equal prize money.

ITU’s Table Officers are made up of 60% women, with the ITU President, Secretary General and First Vice President all women. Additionally, the ITU Executive Board is nearly half women.

Currently there are more than ten National Federations that have a female as President. That means that women are taking that step forward to have access to important and international management positions within the sport world. ITU also boasts equal representation in the Athletes Committee, and more and more women are taking the step forward to participate in technical official courses or coaching courses.

ITU is committed to growing the presence of female athletes in our sport, especially in the countries where women don’t have easy ways to have access to facilities, coaches, scholarships, abd nire,

Having balanced female leadership continues to serve us well within the Olympic Movement. As women will continue to take the lead in their respective tasks and organizations, the female presence in all aspects of our sport will increase in the upcoming years.

We at ITU want to say thank you to all the incredible women we have racing, coaching, officiating and leading triathlon. For us is a great honor to be a sport that provides a very progressive example of gender…