World Triathlon continued its support for Para triathlon development in Asia with the 2026 Subic Bay Asia Triathlon – World Triathlon Para Development Camp, bringing together 19 participants from the Philippines and India. Held alongside the Asia Triathlon Para Championships in Subic Bay, the camp provided athletes and coaches with an opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills while gaining practical experience in a competition environment. For the athletes involved, the proximity of the camp to the continental championships provided an immediate opportunity to put their learning into practice.
“Asia has a great will to develop Para triathlon and the whole event has clearly represented that,” said Neal Mac Leod (ITA), TRI Head Coach. “Watching athletes apply during the continental championship what they just learned in the camp has been extremely satisfactory from a coaching perspective. Everybody was eager to learn, showing great attention to all details.”
A young athlete base with significant potential
One of the key observations from the camp was the young age of many of the athletes involved. The majority of participants were under 20, highlighting the potential for long-term growth in Para triathlon across the region. In a sport where athletes can remain competitive beyond the age of 50, this provides a significant development window for young athletes to build their skills and experience over many years.
“The average age of the athletes was also very young, and that means that there is huge room for improvement,” Mac Leod said.
Developing these athletes will require continued opportunities to train, compete and learn, as well as support for the National Federations responsible for establishing and strengthening their Para triathlon programmes.
Supporting National Federations
Access to equipment and experience remains an important consideration for developing Para triathlon programmes. Countries where the sport is more established generally have greater access to specialist equipment and accumulated experience, creating a significant gap for National Federations new to the sport. Sharing knowledge and helping National Federations identify and access appropriate equipment can help reduce that gap and allow new athletes to become competitive more quickly. The Subic Bay camp demonstrated the value of bringing developing athletes and coaches together in a structured environment, while also highlighting the importance of providing National Federations with longer-term support. A multi-year approach to Para triathlon development would allow Asian Federations to plan ahead, identify athletes and establish recruitment and selection strategies before future camps and competitions.
Building on Asia's potential
The participation of young athletes at Subic Bay provides an encouraging indication of the potential for further Para triathlon development across Asia. The next stage will be to involve more National Federations in development activities, particularly those with existing investment and programmes in Paralympic sport, while continuing to support Federations that have already begun developing para triathlon. With continued World Triathlon support, NF's can strengthen their athlete and coach pathways, increase access to equipment and competition and create more opportunities for athletes to progress within the sport.
The Subic Bay camp provided a strong example of what can be achieved when development activity is connected directly with competition and highlighted the significant potential for Para triathlon to continue growing across Asia.