While taekwondo and triathlon both debuted as the newest Olympic sports at the Sydney 2000 Games, triathlon was literally the newest sport. Although the origins of taekwondo date back thousands of years, the triathlon dates back to 1978.

当跆拳道和铁人三项在2000年悉尼奥运会同时被列入奥运项目时，铁人三项无疑是一项完全新生的运动。跆拳道的起源可追溯到几千年以前，而铁人三项在1978年才诞生。

The first triathlon was held in the south-western United States city of San Diego in 1974, in many ways an outgrowth of the California jogging craze. The ultimate endurance test, it requires athletes to excel at three very different pursuits - swimming, cycling and running. The sport demands particularly intense discipline because each area requires a high-level training schedule.

第一次铁人三项赛在美国西南部的圣地亚哥举行，时间是1974年。比赛很大程度上源于加利福尼亚人对慢跑的狂热。这是一项考验人体耐力的比赛，它要求运动员在3个有相当难度的项目上出类拔萃：游泳，自行车和长跑。因为每个项目都需进行高水平的训练，所以这项运动需要有铁的纪律。