Ironman Triathlon interested participants. In 1990, with the help of Lew Friedland, Dr. James P. Gills acquired and purchased the Hawaii Triathlon Corporation, owner of the Ironman brand, for $3 million from Silk. With the Ironman brand, Gills established the World Triathlon Corporation with the intention of furthering the sport of triathlon and increasing prize money for triathletes. A number of non-WTC full distance triathlons have been held since the mid-1990s. The limited number of WTC-sanctioned events, and the limited number of entries available per race, have combined with a growth in the sport that has created demand for these non-trademarked events.
Triathlon at the 2012 Summer Olympics events at the 2012 Summer Olympics with one gold medal and one bronze medal, both in the men's race. Switzerland became the first nation to win a second gold medal in Olympic triathlon after Spirig followed Brigitte McMahon (a gold medalist at the 2000 Summer Olympics) in becoming an Olympic champion. Australia won its fifth Olympic medal with Densham's bronze which is more than any other nation to that point. Sweden, Spain and Great Britain all won their first Olympic triathlon medal. Triathlon at the 2012 Summer Olympics The triathlon events at the 2012 Summer Olympics were held in Hyde