LA2028 front of mind for GB Paralympic heroes Dave Ellis, Claire Cashmore and Megan Richter

Ahead of Friday’s World Triathlon Para Championships in Torremolinos – previewed separately here – I spoke to three of Great Britain’s medal winners from the Paralympic Games in Paris.

In that preview, I speculated that for some athletes racing, the end of the racing season and the Paralympic quadrennial cycle could potentially signal the final elite-level race for some of those racing.

In the case of Dave Ellis (PTVI), Megan Richter (PTS4) and Claire Cashmore (PTS5) at least, that absolutely does NOT apply… they have Los Angeles on their minds.

A ‘Golden Slam’ for Dave Ellis and Luke Pollard

After heartbreak in Tokyo when a mechanical left them unable to complete the race, Dave Ellis and long-term guide, Luke Pollard, full lived up to their pre-race favourite status when winning the PTVI (visually impaired) gold medal in Paris.

It leaves the dominant pairing in the men’s visually impaired category currently holding the titles of British, European, World, Commonwealth and Paralympic Champions simultaneously. For good measure, they also raced post-Paris at the British Triathlon Grand Final, which allowed them to add the domestic Super Series crown as well.

For Ellis, it’s more a result of their process, rather than setting out to ‘collect’ everything available.

“It’s more that we just like to go and race well at every race to be honest and get as good of a result as we can, and it’s just ended up adding to lots of good results in a row.”

“I think going to the [Ed. British Triathlon] Grand Final is good to support the event. You have the next lot of athletes coming through, so it’s good to be there, support that and be part of that. People got to see the medals of course… and it’s just down the road from us, so is probably the easiest race are ever going to have to get to.”

“For Euros, it’s a championship race and so we wanted to go, even if the shape felt like I was not in good form, and managed to put a decent race together.”

The moment Dave Ellis won gold in Paris [Photo credit: Petko Beier | World Triathlon]

Seeing those medals is something that everyone wants to do. I was working at that Mallory Park Grand Final as the venue announcer, and with the event also hosting the Inter-Regional Championships for athletes from 11-14, it is fair to say that the ‘figurehead’ of British Paratriathlon – as Performance Director Mike Cavendish recently referred to him as – was part of a LOT of photographs with impressed youngsters.

While Dave is now 38, he has no plans to end his Paralympic career just yet:

“Yeah, I’d like to do another four years and see if I’ve still got enough to be competitive at another Games. I feel like I’m only getting started really with the Paralympics, having only done two in triathlon. I’d love to do another one and give it a go.”

It’s the same for Luke, who has been working with Dave for many years now:

“I left the RAF at the start of 2023… so I’ll just keep going as long as he does!”

Luke was also able to laugh off one of the funny images of their Paris triumph… which left him with the finish tape wrapped around his head, as they added the only title missing from their C.V.

“Yeah… been working with Dave for five years, nearly every day, waiting for that moment… and he does that to me. Cheers!”

Photo Credit: Petko Beier | petkobeier.de

Claire Cashmore on the joy of Paris

PTS5 silver for Claire Cashmore in Paris – having won bronze in Tokyo – was also her tenth Paralympic Games medal, including a swimming career that dates back to Athens 2004. She talked me through her Paris experience.

“Because I hadn’t raced Grace [Norman] or Lauren [Steadman] all year since the previous season, as they weren’t on any of the start lists I was on, I kind of went in quite unknown as to where they were at. I knew I was in good shape, so just wanted to deliver the race that I know that I’m capable of.

“The swim was really good; myself and Grace came out together with a little bit of a gap. I had terrible transitions – I just could not get my helmet on, my visor was falling off and you are in that panicky state – so I lost a little bit of time on a section which I usually manage to gain some seconds.

“The bike was really good between myself, Lauren and Grace. We were together the whole time which made it quite exciting. It was quite chaotic with all of the racing on the same day, so there was a lot of people on the course.

“On the run I managed to overtake Lauren, and then Grace came past me and I just didn’t have enough to go with her. I don’t feel like I ran as well as I am capable of, but even if I had, it wouldn’t have been enough. So initially I was disappointed… but then I thought even a lifetime best performance wouldn’t have been good enough for that gold – Grace just had a phenomenal performance.

“The silver is an upgrade from Tokyo, and so I was very happy. It was incredible to have family and friends there, and of course Dave winning, which was an absolute highlight.”

Photo Credit: Petko Beier | petkobeier.de

With so many column inches written in the lead up about the Seine water quality, scheduling, and whether the races would even go ahead in triathlon format, how was that from an athlete perspective?

“In the lead up I found so much negativity from the media, that I had to just switch off from it. I thought, I literally have no control over this and am hoping so much that it is a triathlon, as that’s what we train for, so I’m going to try and avoid the energy-sapping aspects.

“The change of days was hard, because you’ve prepared yourself, got up at 4 a.m., gone through all that mental prep, eaten all of your plain rice all day and then you have to do that all again. It’s hard, but then everyone is in the same situation, so you just have to try and manage it the best to be successful. I was struggling to sleep… so I was thinking, not another night of bad sleep (!), and I realised at the finish line just how much pressure I had put on myself. I think that’s definitely something I need to look at now as to why I put so much pressure on.”

Even a Paralympic Games veteran is learning. Pressure aside, Claire managed to truly enjoy the Games experience:

“Before the race, I was in my element and absolutely loving life. All athletes want to win that gold… but even when Grace went by me on the run, I really soaked up that atmosphere, and just hearing people shout your name and giving them a smile back. My family had found a bar that was literally 300-metres from the start line, and to have all of my family, Dave’s family and Luke’s family congregate there and properly celebrate.

“Being able to go and see some other sports too and support Paralympics GB was incredible. I just had the best week.”

Having already had the biggest race of the season, how do you keep motivation high for another challenge so late in the year?

“To be honest, this is not actually that late… if you consider that after Tokyo we had to wait until November. That was a huge drag at the time, as the weather had got really rubbish in the UK. This time, I could have actually done with an extra few weeks! I actually feel super motivated. Unfortunately I got COVID after Paris, which really wiped me out, so I was chomping at the bit to get back to it. I love racing, so I’m ready to give it another go.”

She may have won medals at six different Paralympic Games already, but Claire has no plans to stop yet, especially with the potential that a new discipline could be added to the program at LA 2028.

“Obviously I’m getting older and the body is, but as long as I’m good enough and I’m still competitive and enjoying it, then 100% I’ll be there in LA. Talk of a relay potentially is really exciting to me, that’s the kind of thing I really love, so it will be good to try that on Sunday.”

How Paris changed Megan Richter’s future plans

It’s fair to say that Megan Richter surpassed her expectations when she took the gold medal in the PTS4 division in Paris.

“I thought I’d be happy with fifth, maybe with an outside chance of a medal… but things went really well for me on the day.

“It doesn’t really feel real… it’s pretty crazy, but I’m enjoying it!”

Richter moved into the lead with about 2km of the run remaining, but told me she didn’t have too much time to actual think that the victory was hers.

“It only really felt real when I saw the tape. I knew I had a gap on the Spanish girl but didn’t know if she would be able to come back, and so I just had to go for it.”

Photo Credit: wout_roosenboom (@by_wout)

Has that medal been in demand?

“Yes, whenever I do anything or go anywhere! I’ll be on a dog walk, and then a kid will be, ‘Where’s the medal, where’s the medal’? But everyone is really enjoying it, and I feel like I can do well for everyone in my life that is supporting me.”

There’s no ‘Paris hangover’ either – and for Richter, that win on the biggest stage could quite literally have changed the course of her life, certainly for the next four years at least, as she explained:

“Training has actually been going pretty well the last few weeks. I’m kind of just doing what I enjoy at the moment, so I’ve enjoyed it. I’m actually more nervous about the relay, because I don’t want to let anyone down, but it should be fun.”

“I’m really excited to get back into it. Before Paris I was looking for jobs, and thinking maybe I could do this part time, but now I don’t have to worry about that and can do this full-time for the next four years. That’s really exciting.”