With around 30 days to go until the first triathlon race at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, the International Triathlon Union (ITU) has launched the social media campaign ‘ThisIsTriathlon’ with the aim of getting the world talking about triathlon.
While ITU will be releasing videos, photos, stories and statistics to get the public educated and excited about the elite triathletes and paratriathletes hitting the world’s biggest athletic stage in Rio, the international governing body is also engaging fans to share their own triathlon journeys.
“Triathlon is a community sport from grass roots to gold medals,” said ITU President and IOC Member Marisol Casado. “We want to share the Road to Rio with that community, and in turn, we want them to share with their friends and family why our triathlon community is so great.
“We want to send off our Olympians and Paralympians to Brazil with the largest virtual support possible, because triathlon is not a sport that should be missed in August and September.”
By using either the hashtag #ThisIsTriathlon or #Triathlon2016, fans can submit photos and videos illustrating what it is that they love about the sport. Each week, ITU will select a winning submission to earn prizes such as triathlon equipment, autographed gear and discounts to the ITU Official World Triathlon Store.
The weekly winner will then be entered into the running for the Grand Final prize, which will include a travel voucher up to US$2500 and a stay in Penticton, Canada, over the ITU Multisport World Championships in August 2017. Set against a backdrop of mountains and alongside the Okanagan Lake with dozens of wineries nearby, the city of Penticton ‘offers the perfect triathlon family getaway’.
To join the competition, athletes/fans can share why they train and compete in triathlon, what they love about the sport, and what it means to them. Any photos and/or video can be hashtagged with #Triathlon2016 and #ThisIsTriathlon on Instagram, Twitter, and/or Vine.
Additionally, fans can view a landing page that will collate all of the content in a single spot.
