“You must realize one thing. In every little village in the world, there are great potential champions who only need motivation, development and good exercise evaluation.”
Each year, there will be three-five designated ASICS World Triathlon Team events with five places for women and five for men.
Following a successful application by a National Federation, chosen athletes will be able to attend the events giving them vital experience at World Cup level.
The inaugural Team ITU Elite Athlete Development programme took place at the Beijing ITU Triathlon World Cup on 24 September 2006. Four female athletes attended from Sweden (Lisa Norden - Olympic medalist), Bermuda (Flora Duffy - World Champion) and South Africa.
Each year there will be various continental camps in Africa, Asia, America, Oceania and Europe. Athletes aged between 15 and 23, selected by the World Triathlon, Continental Confederation and the relevant National Federation, will benefit from coaching from international coaches who will be supported by coaching assistants. These assistants will themselves be developing coaching skills to take back to their home nation. The first ITU Triathlon World Development Camp took place in Hungary in August 2006. 31 athletes from 14 different countries attended it.
The primary objective of the scholarship programme is to identify and provide support, resources and expertise to athletes from emerging/developing National Federations to compete at World Cup, World Championship and Olympic level.
The primary objectives are: