The distribution of places (it must be emphasized that the seats are to countries not to the triathlete or to the triathlete) is done as follows. There are 55 seats per sex, these 55 seats are divided as follows:
Of the continental champions, the places of America and Europe are for Mexico and Great Britain in men and for Chile and Switzerland in women. We must decide the rest of continents whose championships in March and April of 2016.
The 3 places for men and women of the Rio Test are already assigned, as this competition was held in the month of last August.
Later in the 41 Olympic ranking places of the ITU is where the great battle will be in 2016, since many of them (especially those that are superior to the top20) and the triathletes are separated by a few points. The Olympic qualification finishes the 15 of May in the WTS of Yokohama (Japan), before this appointment there will be 3 WTS: Abu Dhabi (UAE), Gold Coast (Australia) and Cape Town (South Africa).
The World Cups of Mooloolaba (Australia), New Plymouth (New Zealand), Chendu (China) and Huatulco (Mexico) will also award points. In these 4 competitions it is surely where the 15 last places are distributed by ITU Ranking as they are very open competitions where normally the top10 do not attend the world, especially in China and Mexico.
Finally, there is a need to comment on the squares for a new flag ... possibly the most unpredictable of all, since these places detract from those of the ITU ranking.
On the 2 of the tripartite committee of the ITU to mention that they are invitations taken by the experts of the international federation.
At present, only 4 countries have the maximum possible number of 6 places (3 per gender): Australia, Great Britain, Germany and the United States.
In the second step, with 5 seats are Spain, Italy, New Zealand and Russia.
With four places appears Austria, Canada, France, Japan and Switzerland.
With three places Belgium, Hungary, Mexico, Portugal and South Africa.
With two places Argentina, Brazil, Denmark, Ecuador, Ireland and the Netherlands.
And finally with a square Azerbaijan, Barbados, Bermuda, China. Chile, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, South Korea, Mauritius, Norway, Poland, Puerto Rico, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine.
A spectacular year is expected where all the triathletes will fight to qualify for the Olympic Games.
Juan José Martí Navío @jjnavio
Photo: ITU