Marten Van Riel

Marten Van Riel is a world class triathlete from Belgium who finished in sixth place at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics. Well known in the world of triathlon for his gritty determination and ability to break away solo, Van Riel has stood out from the crowd thanks to his impressive performances on the bike and some breath-taking finishes. Since his impressive performance at the Rio Olympics, Van Riel also won the 2017 Miyazaki World Cup, finished in the top five on numerous occasions in 2018 and climbed to fifth place in the overall rankings in 2019 after another five top-10 finishes. He also made his first WTS podium in Edmonton, Canada, and is now looking forward to the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

Born in Loenhout, Antwerp, Van Riel began his triathlon career in 2009. Five years later, he became the Belgian national champion in sprint triathlon, and he rose to prominence as an Olympic Distance triathlete at the Rio Summer Olympic Games, impressing the world with his sixth place finish amongst the greatest triathletes in the world.

Since his Olympic success in Rio, he has continued to put in world class performances in every season, and with his 3rd place at 2019 WTS Edmonton he climbed to 5th on the world ranking in 2019. Van Riel now intends to climb even further in the world rankings and to reach the podium in Tokyo.