The two Olympic-standard races will be an International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Olympic Qualification Event and will feature 75 men and women.

Taking place on the Olympic course on the iconic Copacobana Bay, the maximum level of Rio 2016 qualification points will be on offer, putting it on par with the World Triathlon Series Grand Final.

It will not, however, be one of the 10 race on the ITU World Championships series, so will add to an already congested timetable for the world's top athletes, with next year's series featuring races in four different continents. 

Rio 2016 will mark triathlon's Paralympic debut ©Getty Images



Rio 2016 will hold special significance for the ITU as it will be the first in which Paralympic events will be held.

The announcements follows the confirmation of the the final three events - men's PT2 and the women's PT2 and PT5 - for the Paralympic races.

A minimum of 60 athletes are set to participate in the Paralympic races, with the qualification criteria for the test event matching that of a World Paratriathlon Event, with points earned at the race going towards both Paralympic Qualification and ITU World Paratriathon Rankings.

For both Olympic and Paralympic events the precise timetable is still being determined.

"With the hunt for Olympic and Paralympic qualification points heating up in 2015, the ITU is very much looking forward to again showcasing the sport of triathlon and also debuting Para-triathlon on the most prestigious international stage for sport that exists," said ITU President Marisol Casado.