Triathlon is an event consisting of three consecutive parts: swimming, cycling, and running. Yuko Takahashi competes in triathlon, which is well known as an incredibly grueling sport, on a global level. We spoke with Takahashi, who competed in two consecutive Olympic Games, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, and has won four Japan Triathlon Championships, about the appeal of the sport, her future goals, and places in Tokyo she recommends.
The first time you competed in triathlon was when you were in elementary school.
“That’s right. My father did triathlon as a hobby, so it was because of his influence that I started competing with my older brother and sister in running, swimming, and cycling, which I learned to do from watching them. My first competition was when I was in the second grade of elementary school. Part of the fun was traveling together with my family to the areas where the competitions were held. It was more like going on a trip than going to a competition.”
You made the decision to become a triathlete after winning a national triathlon championship in your third year of junior high school.
“Actually, I swam competitively in elementary school and was in the Track & Field Club in junior high school, and I worked hard at each individual sport, but my performance didn’t improve as much as I had hoped it would. That said, when I got first place in a triathlon competition, I was able to experience a real sense of joy and accomplishment when I was standing on the podium. Then, in the spring of my first year of high school, I was selected to be a part of the Japanese junior national team at the Asian Championships, which was my first time to compete on an international level. The harder I tried, the higher I could aim. That’s what inspired me to take on the challenge of qualifying for the Olympics.”
What is it that you find appealing about triathlon?
“Triathlon has the image of being a very grueling sport, but what I like about it is the potential and the way it combines three different events. For example, you can improve your time by finding ways to reduce the lost time when switching from swimming to cycling and from cycling to running, and there are tactics you can use to improve your rank when you’re grouped together with other competitors. The fact that there are multiple events and a long distance give you more possibilities for making your way to the top of the ranking. Even as a spectator, watching the different strategies of each competitor and how that affects the rankings, the speed of the bikes, and the way the competitors give it their all until the very end make it impossible to take your eyes off the race.”
The distances and courses for each competition are different, aren’t they?
“Generally speaking, the Olympic distances are the most common, which are 1.5 kilometers for swimming, 40 for cycling, and 10 for running. Of course, some competitions are shorter, and others are longer. As for the courses themselves, just for the swimming portion, they can be in the ocean, a river, or a lake. The cycling and running portions are different for every tournament, and the conditions can change drastically depending on the weather. The sense of accomplishment and fulfillment that you get from completing a triathlon can’t be matched by any other sport. They say about the triathlon, ‘Everyone who finishes is a winner,’ and I think that way of praising all who compete is one of the sport’s distinguishing features.”
You’ve been based overseas since 2017. What led to you making that decision?
“When I was in university, despite having won the Japan Student Championships four years in a row, I wasn’t able to compete in the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games. That really made me feel that there was a difference in ability between Japan and other countries. So I wanted to improve my own ability further. That’s why I decided to go to the United States and join a team overseas. Of course, things were pretty difficult at first because of the language and lifestyle issues. But it actually helped me toughen up my mind and body. Above all else, I was able to talk and laugh with my teammates as we competed together, and I really enjoyed training with my coach, Paulo Sousa, who I still train with today. I learned the importance of perseverance, and that made me love the sport of triathlon even more.”
Under Coach Sousa, you improved your abilities and won a total of four gold medals in both the women’s individual and mixed relay events at the Asian Championships. You also competed in two consecutive Olympic Games, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.
“I went to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games with the intent that it would be the culmination of my career, but I didn’t get the results I had hoped for. I’m in my thirties now, so I thought that maybe I should step aside and let younger competitors take my place, so immediately after the conclusion of the Games, I told Coach Sousa of my intention to retire. He got a really sad look on his face and said to me, ‘Well, I understand how you feel, but what do you want to do after you’re finished competing? Don’t you think it’s a bit too soon to make this decision? If you haven’t decided exactly what you want to do yet, you can keep competing and still think about the future.’ And he was right. It’s not like I have something I want to do after I retire. I’m not even satisfied with how I did in the Olympics. That being the case, I decided to keep competing for a little longer.”
In November 2024, you made your presence known in Japan by winning the Japan Triathlon Championships for the fourth time, which was your second consecutive victory.
“At the Japan Championships, I was inspired by my teammates who were also training under Coach Sousa, and that helped me change my mindset and take on the race. What’s great about triathlon is that it can make me feel that I still have potential. And just as Coach Sousa said, I’ll keep doing my best until I’m satisfied. I think that showing that to the younger competitors is what I can and should be doing right now.”
Having recently been selected as a JOC Athlete Commissioner, it looks like the scope of your activities outside of competition will be expanding as well.
“Japan has yet to win an Olympic medal in triathlon, so I consider it my mission to do my best to develop the sport and make it more popular, which includes making Japanese athletes stronger, and to spread the appeal of triathlon. On a personal note, now that I’m a JOC Athlete Commissioner, I’m looking forward to making more connections with athletes who compete in other sports. I want to devote myself to making contributions to the Japanese sports world and the triathlon world.”
You’re currently living abroad, but you return to your home in Tokyo several times a year. What are some spots in central Tokyo that you recommend?
“There are lots of places I could recommend, but speaking as a triathlete, I would probably say Odaiba, which was the venue for the triathlon at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. It has a beach where you can enjoy marine sports and big shopping malls with the latest entertainment, so even though you’re in Tokyo, you feel like you’re at a resort.”
＜Profile＞
TAKAHASHI Yuko
Born in 1991 in Tokyo. She has competed in triathlons since her second year of elementary school. At Hosei University, she won the Japan Student Championships four years in a row. After moving overseas in 2017 to intensify her training, she won the Asian Games two years in a row, in Palembang in 2018 and Hangzhou in 2023, in both the women’s individual and mixed relay events. She competed in two consecutive Olympic Games, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. She won the Japan Triathlon Championships four times, in 2018, 2019, 2023, and 2024. She is currently active as a triathlete who competes while being based in the U.S. and Europe.
