Elite Membership Qualification

Athletes wishing to race as an elite triathlete, duathlete or off-road triathlete in any USAT sanctioned event must hold a USAT elite license in their respective category. Elite membership will be available to qualified, highly competitive, and experienced athletes who meet the qualifications respective to their license category as outlined in the Elite License Qualification Criteria. Only athletes holding an elite license are eligible to compete in the elite wave of any USAT sanctioned event that offers a minimum prize purse of $5,000. The terms "elite" and "professional" are used interchangeably but USAT prefers that these athletes be referred to as "elites" in order to align with the ITU and USOC.

Visit the Elite Membership Qualification page to learn more.

Elite Team Qualification

Click on the links below to read the qualification criteria for each type of team.

2019 USA Triathlon National Team Criteria
USAT Background Check Policy

Event Qualification

Click on the links below to read the qualification criteria for each type of event.

2020 Tokyo Olympic Games

2019 Pan American Games Event Qualification Criteria

2019 ANOC World Beach Games 

2019 ITU Elite Event Qualification Criteria

*To be eligible to compete at any Elite World Championship event you must be a current USA Triathlon elite license card holder at the time of qualification. This also holds true when competing in qualifying events that do not have an elite specific wave.

ITU Pre Participation Examination (PPE)

Starting in 2018, all athletes competing in ITU competitions in Junior, U23, Elite, and Elite Paratriathlon categories must have completed a pre-competition health screening which includes a questionnaire, a physical examination, and an ECG following the IOC's recommended procedure. Thereafter, all Junior, U23, Elite, and Elite Paratriathlon athletes, competing in the ITU competitions must complete the medical questionnaire and undergo a medical examination each year, and in addition, must undergo a resting ECG every two years. 

Please click here for the Medical Questionnaire and click here for the PPE certification. 

The screening takes place in three steps:

  1. Answer the Medical Questionnaire: this questionnaire is strictly confidential and must be given to the doctor before the medical examination.
  2. Physical Examination: by the doctor following the IOC recommendations published in the "Lausanne Recommendations" about the Sudden Cardiovascular Death in Sport Consensus.
    • Cardiac auscultation:
      • Rate/rhythm
      • Murmur: systolic/diastolic
      • Systolic click
    • Blood Pressure
    • Radial and Femoral Pulses
    • Marfan stigmata
  3. A 12 lead rest electrocardiogram (ECG). Doctor to look for anomalies in rhythm, conduction, or repolarization.

Please click here to read further about this PPE.  

Once you have completed your PPE, athletes should:

  1.  Retain the original completed, dated, and signed questionnaire and PPE evaluation for your own records. 
  2.  Submit only the completed PPE certification to elite@usatriathlon.org for USAT to keep on file. 

SafeSport Training Requirement

Beginning January 1, 2018, all athletes who wish to compete in Junior, U23, Elite, and Paratriathlon categories at ITU events are required to complete and pass the USAT Safe Sport tutorial. More information about how to access the tutorial and instructions on how to complete the program can be found HERE. This tutorial needs to be completed every year.

Once you have completed the tutorial, please email the completed .pdf certificate to: elite@usatriathlon.org. Please retain a copy for your own records.