Tokyo Olympics: Mixing it up creates the 'perfect' sporting spectacle

The two latest Team GB gold medals came in new events designed to shake up the format of the Olympics.

Mixed triathlon relay and mixed medley swimming made spectacular debuts because they break the mould of traditional sporting competitions.

The tactical battle and drama of the lead changing several times gave both events a winning debut.

Team GB's Anna Hopkin swam the final leg in the mixed relay to clinch gold - her team had given her a strong lead but she was up against America's star male swimmer Caeleb Dressel, who was chasing hard to catch up.

The 25-year-old, from Chorley in Lancashire, said afterwards: "It's pretty cool to say I've beaten Caeleb Dressel!

"I didn't really look at where he was, that would have taken my focus away from what I was doing but it's pretty cool to have been in the same race as him.

"There was so much going on - there's no point looking at where anyone else is, just focus on your own race.

"I wasn't going to lose the lead for these guys and to come away with a gold and a world record at my first Olympics is just beyond what I thought was going to happen. I'm so proud," she said.

Spectators inside the venues in Tokyo would have only added to the spectacles created by the mixed relays.

Having finally clinched a gold medal in triathlon, Jonny Brownlee said of the mixed relay: "It is the perfect Olympic sport.

"It is male and female on the same course doing the same distance - it's a team, so it's nice for us to race as a team.

"It's short it's fast and good to watch… and I'm just honoured firstly to be part of the first mixed team relay at the Olympic Games and to be the first Olympic champions… that can never be taken away from us."

Olympic organisers have also introduced the mixed 4x400m relay in the athletics, along with table tennis mixed doubles.