During July, World Triathlon reinforced its commitment to coach development with a training programme that reached different continents and addressed diverse realities within triathlon. Europe, Asia and the Americas hosted courses and workshops designed to provide technical, methodological and practical tools to those supporting athletes’ development. From Level 1 certifications to programmes specialising in female triathletes and paratriathlon, the initiative showcased an approach to development that goes beyond sports preparation and seeks to build communities of coaches capable of responding to the sport’s evolving needs.
The July programme also stood out for the diversity of its participants and the role played by national federations in each process. In Valletta, Macau and San José, certification courses combined theoretical content with practical experiences, while Antofagasta hosted a workshop focused specifically on the needs of female triathletes and Tata was the setting for a programme dedicated to paratriathlon. The participation of women, the exchange between coaches from different regions and the presence of sports officials in some programmes reflected a strategy aimed at strengthening local capacity and creating learning opportunities adapted to different contexts.
Technical development and collaboration between federations
The programme began in Valletta, Malta, where five coaches completed the World Triathlon Level 1 Coaches Course. The programme had 40% female participation and combined weeks of online learning with four in-person days dedicated to practical work and the final assessment. Participants explored training principles, running technique and swimming, in a process that also highlighted the value of sharing experiences. For the Malta Triathlon Federation, the training represents a tool to strengthen professional pathways within the country and prepare those who will be responsible for developing future generations of triathletes.
In Macau, the same model took on a regional dimension. Sixteen coaches from five national federations took part in a five-day course that achieved 50% female participation and combined theoretical classes with outdoor practical sessions. The presence of Olympic and Paralympic athletes from different disciplines brought high-performance experiences into the programme, while facilitators Fenella Ng and Jiachao Wang worked with participants on common coaching situations and internationally used training systems. The aim was not only to deliver content, but to create a shared learning environment where coaches from different backgrounds could exchange challenges, knowledge and solutions applicable to their own sporting environments.
More inclusive and specialised development
The programme also placed particular emphasis on areas requiring specific expertise. In Antofagasta, Chile, World Triathlon held a workshop focused on coaching female triathletes in collaboration with Laureus Sport for Good. The session sought to provide coaches with evidence-based tools to better understand the physiological, psychological and performance factors that can influence women’s preparation. In a sport where female participation continues to grow, the approach highlights the need to adapt coaching methodologies to each athlete’s individual characteristics, while also expanding opportunities for leadership and development for women within coaching teams.
Training also reached San José, Costa Rica, where 17 coaches from the Costa Rican Triathlon Federation completed a Level 1 course funded by IOC Olympic Solidarity. The programme had 35% female participation and was supported by federation officials and the National Olympic Committee, strengthening the connection between technical education and local sporting structures. This work was complemented by the Paratriathlon Coaches Course held in Tata, an initiative aimed at providing knowledge and practical tools to better support paratriathletes and expand participation and performance pathways within a discipline that requires methodologies adapted to different needs.
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