Elite Triathlon Membership Qualification

Athletes wishing to race as an elite triathlete, duathlete or off-road triathlete in any USA Triathlon sanctioned event must hold a USA Triathlon elite athlete license in their respective category. Elite triathlon 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 Triathlon License Qualification Criteria. Only athletes holding an elite triathlon license are eligible to compete in the elite wave of any USA Triathlon sanctioned event that offers a minimum prize purse of $5,000. The terms "elite" and "professional" are used interchangeably but USA Triathlon prefers that these athletes be referred to as "elites" in order to align with World Triathlon and the USOPC.

Elite Triathlon National Team Qualification 

2023 USAT Elite Triathlon National Team Program Qualification Criteria

2023 USAT Elite Triathlon National Team Program Guiding Principles

USAT Background Check Policy (PDF; Updated Dec. 18, 2022)

USAT Elite Athlete Disciplinary Policy (Updated Jan. 3, 2023)

National Triathlon Development Race Series

The purpose of NTDRs is to provide a draft-legal pathway to a USAT Elite License and a competitive domestic race series for Elite Development athletes.   

Event Name Date Location  Results
Tritonman February 11, 2023 Mission Bay, CA TBD
Clermont Draft Legal Challenge March 4-5, 2023 Clermont, FL TBD
St. Peters Triathlon April 15, 2023 St. Peters, MO TBD
East Coast Triathlon Festival April 30, 2023 Richmond, VA  TBD
Jenny Lee Tri Cup June 16, 2023 Beaver Falls, PA TBD
 

Event Qualification

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

Olympic Games Selection Process Documents

2023 World Triathlon Elite Event Qualification Criteria

2023 Pan American Games

2023 Bali World Beach Games Qualification Criteria

2022 World Triathlon Elite Event Qualification Criteria

2022 World Games Qualification Criteria

2020 Tokyo Olympic Games

*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.

World Triathlon Pre Participation Examination (PPE)

Starting in 2018, all athletes competing in World Triathlon competitions in Junior, U23, Elite Triathlon, 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 Triathlon, and Elite Paratriathlon athletes, competing in World Triathlon 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 Triathlon, and Elite Paratriathlon categories at World Triathlon events are required to complete and pass the USAT Safe Sport tutorial. Directions for completing SafeSport can be found below. This tutorial needs to be completed every year.

To complete the SafeSport Core Training, please follow the instructions below.

  1. Go to this URL: https://safesporttrained.org?KeyName=NGBUSAT-dIFASe
  2. Create an account – the MembershipID is NGBUSAT-dIFASe
  3. Once in your account, click Courses and complete the Core Course

Returning Users:

  1. Go to: safesporttrained.org, and login using your previous email.  You might have "forget password" to reset account, previous info will be saved.
  2. Use the MembershipID NGBUSAT-dIFASe
  3. Click on “My Courses” and complete the first Refresher that is available to you – you only need to complete ONE Refresher
  4. Download the certificate of completion, and send it to elite@usatriathlon.org. 

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

Athlete Ombuds

The Office of the Athlete Ombuds offers independent, confidential advice to elite athletes regarding their rights and responsibilities in the Olympic and Paralympic Movement, and assists athletes with a broad range of questions, disputes, complaints and concerns.

Phone:                719-866-5000

Email:                 ombudsman@usathlete.org

Website:             usathlete.org

Athlete Ombuds Confidentiality and Privacy Policy:

(A) In general.—The Office of the Athlete Ombuds shall maintain as confidential any information communicated or provided to the Office of the Athlete Ombuds in confidence in any matter involving the exercise of the official duties of the Office of the Athlete Ombuds. (B) Exception.—The Office of the Athlete Ombuds may disclose information described in subparagraph (A) as necessary to resolve or mediate a dispute, with the permission of the parties involved.(C) Judicial and administrative proceedings.—(i) In general.—The ombudsman and the staff of the Office of the Athlete Ombuds shall not be compelled to testify or produce evidence in any judicial or administrative proceeding with respect to any matter involving the exercise of the duties of the Office of the Athlete Ombuds.(ii) Work product.—Any memorandum, work product, notes, or case file of the Office of the Athlete Ombuds—(I) shall be confidential; and(II) shall not be—(aa) subject to discovery, subpoena, or any other means of legal compulsion; or (bb) admissible as evidence in a judicial or administrative proceeding. (D) Applicability.—The confidentiality requirements under this paragraph shall not apply to information relating to—(i) applicable federally mandated reporting requirements; (ii) a felony personally witnessed by a member of the Office of the Athlete Ombuds;(iii) a situation, communicated to the Office of the Athlete Ombuds, in which an individual is at imminent risk of serious harm; or (iv) a congressional subpoena.

Anti-Retaliation Statement:

USA Triathlon prohibits employees, contractors, agents, volunteers, or members of the USOPC from threatening or taking action against an athlete for disclosing information to or asking for the assistance of the Ombuds