Probably because the courses vary so much, and even from year to year at the same race!

The swim can be in a river, a lake or the ocean.

It's hard to establish a WR when there is no standard course length and elevation change for the bike leg, including such variables as loops, multi-looped, and out-and-back bike legs. And with all that there is no "Official" course inspector who goes to all events and measures the course. The Olympic record might provide a standard but given that it's a road course for bike and run, but which may be multi-lap course, there is little hope of a standard course anytime soon. Every city hosting the Olympics is hugely different from any previous one.

The 10K trathlon run may go along a seawall, through a hilly park, on asphalt or grass, shale or dirt.

In track, it's 10,000m around a level oval track, with an allowable wind of up to a max. of 4km/hour to qualify for a WR. Olympics tris will never achieve that level of standardization and who would want it anyway?

This way we get to have great barroom arguments about which Oly tri was the best ever. (Personally, I thought Athens sucked.. those short ridiculously steep climbs have got to go.)

Glad you mentioned it.

PoC

Yeah, that's right. Get out your asterisks.

Better yet, get off yer asterisk and go train!
heh.

PoC

to put some numbers on the board i think the record may belong to craig walton at about 1:49 or 1:45 maybe, but dont quote me. i think that was under ITU rules.