On a glorious Saturday in Roundhay Park, Leeds, the inaugural AJ Bell World Triathlon Para Championships Leeds delivered some superb performances as the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Qualification period continued.
The men’s PTVI category got the day’s
racing underway, the visually impaired men chasing precious qualification
points for their category’s Paralympic debut this August. It was Great
Britain’s Dave Ellis B3 who set the pace from the first strokes of the swim,
Hector Catala Laparra B2 unable to reign him in but narrowly taking the silver
ahead of Thibaut Rigaudeau B2.
“It’s just nice to be back and racing
in front of people again. My last time was Funchal in 2019 so it’s been a
while, now we just want to go out and do that again in Tokyo,” said Ellis.
There was a familiar face on top of
the women’s PTVI podium after Spain’s Susana Rodriguez B1 once again put
together a commanding performance to secure another Series gold, Anna Barbaro
B1 (ITA) and Alison Peasgood B2 (GBR) completing the podium.
The men’s PTWC wheelchair race saw
Netherlands’ Jetze Plat H2 extend his winning streak as he continues to look
untouchable in his pursuit of the world title and Paralympic double, Geert
Schipper H2 (NED) and Florian Brungraber H2 with silver and bronze.
Kendall Gretsch H2 clearly enjoyed
herself in the women’s PTWC, Eva Maria Moral Pedrero H1 with silver and Mona
Francis H2 the bronze.
“I really loved this course, it was a
challenging bike and technical run and it’s been good to be able to race ahead
of the Games,” said Gretsch. “I’m just happy to keep moving forward and have
some more racing before Tokyo.”
Jules Ribstein (FRA) was in dominant
mood on route to the men’s PTS2 title, 100 seconds ahead of Netherlands’
Maurits Morsink (NED), Adam Popp (USA)
finishing third. USA’s Hailey Danz managed to edge Veronica Yoko Plebani to the
women’s gold, Melissa Stockwell putting in the fastest 5km time of 22.58 to
earn bronze.
Nico Van Der Burgt won the men’s
PTS3, while Alexis Hanquinquant’s 15.42 time over the 5km run saw him fly to
the men’s PTS4 gold by more than five minutes from Britain’s Michael Taylor,
Eric Mcelvenny of USA with the bronze. Kelly Elmlinger (USA) earned the women’s
gold in 1:17.37.
Another American, Chris Hammer, had a
vintage performance to win the PTS5, his first race since bronze in Lausanne in
2019. A 14.55 run was to be the difference after an epic battle with Yannick
Bourseux (FRA) in Roundhay Park, Jairo Ruiz Lopez (ESP) winning the bronze.
Lauren Steadman made the most of a
home race to banish any fears of being race rusty, stretching to gold away from
teammate Claire Cashmore, who was locked in an incredible battle with USA’s
Grace Norman, passing the American for a final and decisive time as they hit
the blue carpet to take the silver.
For the full results, click here https://triathlon.org/results/result/2021_world_para_triathlon_leeds/452751?mc_cid=0cc223abda&mc_eid=6139649918
ABOUT WORLD TRIATHLON
World Triathlon is the international
governing body for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of triathlon and all
related multisport disciplines around the world, including duathlon, aquathlon,
cross triathlon and winter triathlon. Triathlon made its Olympic debut in
Sydney 2000, with a third medal event, the Mixed Team Relay, added to the
programme at Tokyo 2020, while paratriathlon was first added to the Paralympic
programme at Rio 2016. World Triathlon is proudly committed to the development
of the sport worldwide, with inclusion, equality, sustainability and
transparency at our core as we seek to help triathletes at all levels of the
sport to be extraordinary.
Michael Phelps Teaches Swimming
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