Paralympics triathlon stars eye world title glory as Torremolinos hosts a blockbuster
Taking place on Friday 18 October as part of the World Triathlon Championship Finals Torremolinos-Andalucia, the World Triathlon Para Championships will bring down the curtain for most racing on a busy year in the world of Paratriathlon.
Falling late in the season of a Paralympic Games year too, will the event also potentially see several high-profile names for the last time in elite paratriathlon competition? The quadrennial cycle typical provides the catalyst for important decisions to be made on not just sporting, but life decisions moving forward. That applies to both athletes and their supporting federations, as they look forward to Los Angeles 2028.
Those questions will be answered in due course, but for now, it’s another stellar line up heading to the Iberian Peninsula to go head-to-head over the Sprint distance format.
A gold-plated cast
As you would expect, the start-list includes the vast majority of the gold medal winners from the Paralympic Games events in Paris. The only absentee from the 11 categories contested – there was no separate PTS3 Women’s division in the French capital – is the Women’s PTS2 champion, Hailey Danz (USA).
The following 10 stars will be seeking a Paralympic and World Championship double in the same year:
PTWC (Jetze Plat and Lauren Parker),
PTS2 (Jules Ribstein),
PTS3 (Daniel Molina),
PTS4 (Alexis Hanquinquant and Megan Richter),
PTS5 (Chris Hammer and Grace Norman),
PTVI (Susana Rodriguez and Dave Ellis)
If you are looking for favourites, then don’t stray too far away from this elite list.
Photo Credit: Petko Beier | petkobeier.de
Home favourites
With the event taking place in Spain, that should provide extra motivation and / or pressure for Daniel Molina and Susana Rodriguez in particular. At the age of 50, Molina of course finally got his chance to race at the Paralympic Games – his category had not been part of the programme in Rio and Tokyo – and after losing time on the bike there, he produced a golden performance on the run to top the podium.
He has since added another European title – by just 12 seconds – in Vichy, but look out too for Great Britain’s Henry Urand. Fourth on Paris, the former elite cyclist will lose time in the opening discipline, but he is getting better every race and making incredible progress.
Photo Credit: Petko Beier | petkobeier.de
It’s been quite a year for Susana Rodriguez of course. Not only did she defend her PTVI gold medal from Tokyo, but she’s also been celebrated by Barbie, with a one-of-a-kind doll, with Mattel “highlighting sports role models to show girls that anything is possible if you relentlessly pursue your passions.”
Like Molina, Rodriguez also added another European Championship title to her C.V. in Vichy, and so is aiming for another stunning season.
Photo Credit: Petko Beier | petkobeier.de
Strong British Interest
GB’s golden double from Paris, Megan Richter and Dave Ellis (guided by Luke Pollard) were part of the cohort who went on to add European Championship success to those Paralympic gold medals, and will want to close out an already brilliant year in style.
Photo Credit: Ben Lumley / World Triathlon
Once again, the PTS5 trio of Grace Norman (USA) and Claire Cashmore and Lauren Steadman will clash again. It’s a tough challenge for the silver and bronze medal winning Brits from Paris against the currently dominant Norman, but they always put on a show, and have traded wins and podium positions for many, many years now.
The podium at the 2023 WTPS event in Swansea
Unfortunately, Hannah Moore – bronze in Paris in PTS4 – has had to withdrew, but is already looking forward to recovering and going again in 2025.
Course and Start Times
The events start with a 750m sea swim from Los Alamos Beach, before four laps on the bike for distance of just under 20km, and finishing with a flat and fast, two-lap, 5km run course.
The start time (local time in Spain), for the racing is from 10:00 (0900 in the UK / 0400 Eastern / 0100 Western). Live coverage will be available via World Triathlon’s subscription service, TriathlonLive.tv.
