Lessing, Simon (1971– )

South African-born British triathlete. He was world Olympic distance triathlon champion in 1992, 1995 (when he also won the long distance title), 1996, and 1998, and was European champion in 1991, 1993, and 1994.

Born in Cape Town, and raised in Durban, he excelled as a teenager at swimming, athletics, and duathlon. He won the South African triathlon championship in 1988 but shortly afterwards he emigrated to the UK (where his mother was born). In Europe he became one of the stars of the emerging international triathlon circuit, and as well as his world and European titles, he won the French Irontour championship four years in a row 1994–97, and was a gold medallist at the Goodwill Games in both 1994 and 1998. He competed in the 2000 Olympics, starting as favourite, but finished in a disappointing ninth place.