Now in its third season, the programme backed by the sports equipment company aims to help young Olympic-potential athletes who will struggle to receive the resources they need at home.

Some of those selected this time will go on to compete at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics next year, while triathletes looking further ahead to Paris 2024 will also be backed.

Money for travel, food and accommodation will be provided to those picked as well as world-class coaching, physio and bike mechanics.

Another aim of the project is increasing the number of coaches in developing countries so they can gain experience in supporting athletes at World Cup level.

"ITU's expansive development partnership with high-performance sports equipment giant ASICS enters its third season this year, ready to build on the performances and progress of 2019 but, most of all, prepare some athletes for the upcoming Olympic Games Tokyo 2020," the ITU said.

"The ASICS World Triathlon Team project provides essential support, resources and expertise to emerging National Federations' young athletes with the potential to compete at World Cup level but with the goal set in Olympic participation, as well as identifying and nurturing junior athletes just starting out on their triathlon journeys to Olympic qualification for Paris 2024 and beyond, but would struggle to find that support at home."

Applications from athletes who have the potential to compete at Tokyo 2020, and who have already proven themselves at elite, under-23 or junior level, will be favoured.

Three World Cups have also been named as ASICS World Triathlon Team events before the closing date for applications of May 11.

These are competitions in Brasilia on April 4 and 5, Valencia on May 2 and Chengdu on May 10.

Athletes must be born before 1990 to apply and have at least two results inside the first 66 per cent of finishers from Continental Cups over the past 12 months.

National Federations can nominate no more than two male and two female athletes.