Njengoba kunikezwe lesi sigaba esiphathelene ne-triathlon yanamuhla, yimuphi unyaka abasunguli ababili ababumba ngawo i-mission bay triathlon.
Context:Umncintiswano wokuqala wanamuhla wokubhukuda, ukuhamba ngebhayisikili nokugijima wabanjelwa eMission Bay, eSan Diego, eCalifornia ngo-September 25, 1974. Lo mjaho waklanywa futhi waqhutshwa amalungu amabili eSan Diego Track Club, uJack Johnstone noDon Shanahan. UJohnstone ukhumbula ukuthi wayeyingxenye ye-70s jogging craze eMelika nokuthi ngemuva kokungena emincintiswaneni embalwa wayengatholi "ukuqina kwakhe okujwayelekile" yize wayeyilungu leqembu le-1957 Collegiate ne-AAU All-American swim. Khona-ke ngo-1973, uJohnstone wezwa ngeDave Pain Birthday Biathlon, umjaho ongamakhilomitha angu-7,2 (amakhilomitha angu-4,5) olandelwa yilokho okwakuthiwa ukubhukuda okungamamitha angu-0,4 (ibanga langempela lalingamamitha angu-200 kuya kwangu-300 kuphela). Ngonyaka olandelayo, ngemva kokuncintisana kulo mqhudelwano okwesibili nokungena kwabayishumi abaphambili, uJohnstone wayefuna ukugijima kaningi ngalendlela futhi agcizelele ukubhukuda ngendlela efanayo. Ngakho wafaka isicelo kukasihlalo weSan Diego Track Club owamtshela ukuthi wayezokwengeza umjaho ekhalendeni leqembu. Kodwa okunye ukuhlelwa komjaho kwakusezandleni zikaJohnstone, futhi ngesikhathi esifanayo kwakufanele axhumane noDon Shanahan ukuze kungabi nemincintiswano "engajwayelekile" eminingi kakhulu esimisweni seqembu. UShanahan watshela uJohnstone ukuthi ufuna ukufaka umlenze webhayisikili emncintiswaneni; ngenkathi uJohnstone enqikaza wavuma ukungezwa. Lapho beqamba umcimbi lo mbhangqwana wasebenzisa uhlelo lokuqamba amagama oluvunyelwene ngokungekho emthethweni lwemicimbi yezemidlalo eminingi, esivele isetshenziselwa i-pentathlon, i-heptathlon, ne-decathlon. Ngakho basebenzisa isiqalo sesiGreki esithi tri (ezintathu) ukuze babhale inani lemidlalo, bese besebenzisa igama esivele silijwayele elithi athlon, yingakho babiza lo mqhudelwano ngokuthi i-Mission Bay Triathlon. Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi akekho kwabasunguli owayezwe ngezenzakalo zaseFrance; bobabili babekholelwa ukuthi uhlanga lwabo lwalungumqondo oyingqayizivele.
Kucatshangwa ukuthi i-triathlon yanamuhla yaqala ngo-1974 lapho isungulwa amalungu amabili e-San Diego track club, uDon Shanahan noJack Johnstone. Nakuba kuthiwa laba ababili basungula lo mdlalo, kubalulekile ukuqonda ukuthi akuyona yonke into eyenziwe futhi ephethwe amaMelika. Lo mdlalo ungalandelelwa emuva eFrance ngo-1901, ekuqaleni owawubizwa ngokuthi "Le Trois Sports", owawuhlanganisa imikhakha yeBike, Run neCanoe. Ezinye izinhlobo zemidlalo eminingi zazikhona ngaphambi kuka-1974 kufaka phakathi i-biathlon eyayihlanganisa ukugijima okungu-7.2km okulandelwa ukubhukuda okungu-0.4km) kodwa Noma kunjalo, ngomhla ka-25 Septhemba 1974, kwazalwa i-triathlon mission bay eSan Diego, eCalifornia.