Mitigating the risks of exertional heat illness remains a major challenge for event organisers of large sporting competitions, which often include amateur through to professional participants. How athletes of different training status respond at the same event is unclear.

The presentation of core temperatures > 40 °C appears to be independent of athlete level. Extreme body temperatures (2 individuals > 41 °C) occurred during a sprint triathlon, which is a stated modification purported to lower risk for Olympic-distance triathlon.

Reducing triathlon events to a sprint distance may not sufficiently reduce the risk of heat illness, earlier start times may be a more suitable strategy.