A: The distances are biased such that you spend the most time on running/biking. Here are splits of a winner of a spring distance triathlon:
0.25 Mi Swim — 11 Mi Bike — 3.2 Mile Run
6:40 — 29:20 — 17:56
The swim is just over 10% of the total race time. If you’re specialized and good at swimming, you’ll not be able to press that advantage against someone specialized on the bike for example.