Triathlon..... not a Sport as we know it!

OK, I think we can all agree that Triathlon is a Sport.

What's more, I don't think anyone will argue that it is a sport that requires commitment, training, strong mental resilience and endeavour.

However I was left a little confused whilst photographing the Guernsey Triathlon Club's Granite Man yesterday. So confused that I had to lift the dictionary down from the shelf to try and understand what I had experienced 'track side'... especially in the depths of the energy sapping Ronez Quarry section.

Let me explain. I looked up the definition of 'Sport'... this is what I read. ' Sport: an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another'

So Triathlon is most definately a Sport. So what's my problem?

Well I investigated a little further.

The above quote states that when taking part in a Sport you 'compete against others'. So what is the definition of compete?

Quote: 'Compete: to strive to gain or win something by defeating or establishing superiority over others'.

Now this is what was troubling me as this simply isn't what I was seeing as competitors faced the gruelling climb and heat in the quarry as they neared the end of the three disciplines of the Granite Man Triathlon.

By dictionary definition each competitor should have been trying to beat down their opponents. They should have been pressurising them into failure in the pusuit of a win.

But instead the atmosphere was of huge support between competing Triathletes. Encouragement was given to others in the knowledge that maybe each competitor wasn't actually competing against the other but only against themself. There was a respect for all others who were also facing the same challenge.

So my summary of Triathlon as a Sport... at least at our local level is that it is perhaps unique in offering competitors a competition where they don't leave the start line with a win as their outright goal. And it is all the better for that!

I've added a new gallery featuring my Granite Man pics. You will see a surprising amount of smiles too! How do they still have the energy for those? I don't know!
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE 2022 GRANITE MAN TRIATHLON