Paralympics Paratriathlon results: ALL the medal winners at Paris 2024
Paratriathlon took centre stage at the Paris 2024 Paralympics on Monday, with all 11 races taking place to provide a spectacular festival of racing.
The morning saw the Wheelchair (PTWC) and PTS2 / PTS3 races, with the PTVI and PTS4 / PTS5 following from midday in Paris. Here’s the big picture on how it all happened, and who picked up the gold, silver and bronze.
PTWC Men – Three-peat for the mighty Jetze Plat
Let’s be frank, such is the dominance of the legendary Jetze Plat, that this is one gold medal that was never in doubt. He duly won a third consecutive Paralympic Games paratriathlon title, further adding to his status as a true para sport legend.
Starting three minutes after the first athletes as part of World Triathlon’s Interval Start System, the mighty Dutchman had cut more than a minute of that through the opening 750m in the Seine, took the lead inside the first 5km of the handcycle and then was never challenged. With three more medal opportunities coming up in the coming days, he could measure his effort to the finish.
There was another triple medallist behind him as Austria’s Florian Brungraber added another Paris silver to Rio bronze and Tokyo silver. The Dutch strength in this sport class was completed by Geert Schipper, who returned to the Paralympic Games podium. Second eight years ago in Brazil, he was fourth last time around in Japan.
Photo Credit: Petko Beier | petkobeier.de
PTWC Women – Golden joy for Lauren Parker
Three years ago we saw one of the greatest finishes in triathlon history, with Australia’s Lauren Parker leading every metre of the race at Odaiba Marine Park… until the final five. Kendall Gretsch took the gold that day, and this race always looked set for another battle between those two. With Parker a ‘H1’ athlete, she would start 3:38 ahead of the US defending champion, and it would then be a case of ‘catch me if you can’.
You can check out our full report here – but having won everything since that Tokyo defeat, this time around Parker was not going to be defeated, crossing the line with an advantage of 1:23 over the multi-talented U.S. star.
Behind the two favourites, the battle for bronze was a very close one, with Canada’s Leanne Taylor – winner this year at WTPS Swansea – completing the podium, just seven seconds clear of Spain’s Eva Maria Moral Pedrero.
Photo Credit: Petko Beier | petkobeier.de
PTS3 Men – Molina runs to Gold
In our pre-race preview, we highlighted this sport class as potentially one of the most unpredictable of the day. In line with those pre-race thoughts, Daniel Molina (ESP), Nico van der Burgt (NED) and Max Gelhaar (GER) were separated by just 22 seconds after the first discipline, and headed into T1 in close order.
Molina – who turns 50 in a couple of weeks time – was slightly distanced on the bike, and as they reached the dismount line it was Gelhaar and van der Burgt together, leaving the Spanish World and European Champion with 47 seconds to make up over the closing 5km run. This one was living up the the pre-race billing.
It’s worth noting of course that this was the first time that the Men’s PTS3 division has been part of the Paralympic Games program, and the Spanish veteran has been waiting so long for his chance on the biggest stage of all… and just before the 2km mark, he had worked his way back to the front, passing Gelhaar in the process. It was a decisive move too, and with 2km remaining it was Molina leading, Gelhaar now 24 seconds down and van der Burgt a further 27 seconds in arrears.
And that was how is remained in terms of the podium, with Molina having enough time to truly enjoy the final few hundred metres and take in the magnitude of his achievement.
Photo Credit: Petko Beier | petkobeier.de
PTS2 Men – Home success for Jules Ribstein
France’s first chance of paratriathlon gold of the day fell to Jules Ribstein. Winner of the last four World Championship events, he held a narrow lead out of the swim from Wim de Paepe (BEL), but the USA’s Mark Barr was 15 seconds ahead. A fast transition however, put the French favourite in front.
At the midpoint of the 20km bike leg, Ribstein had extended his lead to 21 seconds over de Paepe, with the USA’s Barr (+1:03), and his countryman, Mohamed Lahna, now 79 seconds back.
The Frenchman held his lead into T2, and would start the run 1:16 ahead of de Paepe, with Lahna (+1:19) and Barr (+1:48) those looking set to be his closest challengers.
Cheered on by the vociferous home crowd, Ribstein was not going to give this one up, and a 19:50 run split was more than enough to take the first, and unlikely to be the last, paratriathlon medal of the day for the hosts. Wim de Paepe would fall back on the run to fifth at the finish, leaving the USA duo of Lahna and Barr to take silver and bronze, respectively. Lahna added to his bronze medal eight years ago in Rio, where 16 seconds behind him in fourth place had been Barr. Their time difference this time around? 15 seconds!
Photo Credit: Petko Beier | petkobeier.de
PTS2 Women – Hailey Danz finally strikes gold!
Team USA was always going to feature strongly in the Women’s PTS2 race, and it would be Hailey Danz who took the top spot for the Stars and Stripes.
In both Rio and Tokyo, Danz was the silver medal winner behind the double Paralympic Games champion Allysa Seely – who was back to try and make it three here.
There was little between what would ultimately be the podium after the first discipline, with Danz, Seely and Veronica Yoko Plebani (ITA) separated by a single solitary second, and just eight seconds down on the leader at that point – Rio 2016 bronze medallist Melissa Stockwell (USA).
Danz knew that her best route to victory would be via her bike strength, and after the 20km she was two minutes clear of Plebani, with Anu Francis (AUS) having moved through to third (+2:25). Seely needed something truly special over the 5km run, with a deficit to the leader now of well over three minutes.
Danz would not be denied however, and her run split (22:49) would be more than enough to hold off Plebani (21:56) and Seely (21:47).
Photo Credit: Petko Beier | petkobeier.de
PTVI Men – Redemption for Dave Ellis and Luke Pollard
Starting 2:41 behind the B1 (fully blind) athletes per the World Triathlon Interval Start System, Great Britain’s Dave Ellis and Guide Luke Pollard started in brilliant style. Fourth overall out of the water, they were just 18 seconds back on the pace-setting Satoru Yoneoka (JPN), and just seven seconds behind perhaps the only true threat from the early starters, Antoine Perel (FRA), guided by Yohan Le Berre.
Around the 5km mark the Brits made the pass, but the Perel / Le Berre duo were holding strong just a few seconds behind. Indeed, such is the depth of the PTVI field that at the 7km mark the top eight athletes were separated by just a minute.
As the bike progressed, the USA’s Owen Cravens (Guide: Ben Hoffman) started to close in on that leading duo, closely followed by Thibaut Rigaudeau (Guide: Cyril Viennot). In line with all expectations, this race was not going to be decided on the bike.
Heading into T2, Perel, Cravens, Ellis and Rigaudeau – in that order – were separated by just five seconds, but with a swift transition, it was Ellis/Pollard quickly to the front. The fastest runners on paper, surely this was 5km to redemption from that Tokyo mechanical?
At the midpoint of the run the Ellis run was clearly working to form, and they had extended their lead out to a very comfortable 40 seconds, leaving the French pair to seemingly battle it out for silver and bronze, with Cravens losing time in fourth after serving a time penalty.
There was no stopping Ellis and Pollard though, as they completed the full set, adding the only medal missing from their incredible collection.
Photo Credit: Petko Beier | petkobeier.de
PTVI Women – Rodriguez defends her Tokyo gold
The big question ahead of the women’s VI race was whether the young Italian Francesca Tarantello would be able to take the Paralympic crown away from the defending champion Susanna Rodriguez. As a B1 athlete, the Spaniard would be the first into the Seine alongside her Guide Sara Perez Sala, with Tarantello – guided by Silvia Vissagi – following 3:11 later.
Francesca reduced that gap to 1:59 at the swim exit, but that extended back out to 2:24 with 20km of cycling completed. Running 19:14 and 19:17 respectively, that was the one-two, with Anja Renner (GER) completing the podium, which meant a second consecutive Paralympic Games fourth place for Alison Peasgood (GBR), who in Paris was guided by Brooke Gillies.
Photo Credit: Petko Beier | petkobeier.de
PTS5 Men – Hammer time for Chris!
In our pre-race predictions piece I highlighted the USA’s Chris Hammer could potentially be hampered by a weaker swim in the tricky Seine and, initially, that looked as though it might be the case.
Felipe Marques (POR), Ronan Cordeiro (BRA), Martin Schulz (GER) and Stefan Daniel (CAN) were among the favourites to emerge first, with Hammer almost 90 seconds behind the leader at this stage.
All change on two wheels, where close racing saw Schulz, Hammer, Cordeiro, Marques and Bence Moscari (HUN) all reach the dismount line with just 15 seconds between them all.
Martin Schulz was aiming for a third consecutive paratriathlon gold medal, and in the early stages it was clear that the podium would be between the German star, plus Cordeiro and Hammer. Martin was the first to drop off the fast pace, and then inside the final kilometre the pace of Hammer was finally too much for the Brazilian.
Fourth in Rio and fourth in Tokyo, this will be a sweet success for the American.
Photo Credit: Petko Beier | petkobeier.de
PTS4 Men – Nobody could stop Hanquinquant
He lit the Paralympic cauldron at the opening ceremony for a reason; Alexis Hanquinquant is one of the marquee names of French para sport. He was also, along with Jetze Plat perhaps, one of the shortest-priced favourites for gold in Paris, and there was no way he was not going to deliver.
First after of the opening 750m swim, Great Britain’s Michael Taylor was just 12 seconds back in his strongest discipline, but that was the closest anyone would get.
After 20km of riding including the cobbles, Hanquinquant was two minutes ahead of Gregoire Berthon (FRA), with Carson Clough (USA), Taylor and Pierre-Antoine Baele following soon after.
The run would prove to be a formality, but in finishing with a 16:41 5km split, as well as a winning margin of more than five minutes, he also recorded a faster time than the PTS5 men. Seriously impressive.
Clough secured silver for the USA, while Nils Ruidavets Victory ran even faster (16:37) to claim the final spot on the podium.
Photo Credit: Petko Beier | petkobeier.de
PTS5 Women – Norman tops Cashmore and Steadman
Cream rises to the top, right? That’s rarely more consistently proven than the Women’s PTS5 sport class, where Grace Norman (USA), Claire Cashmore (GBR) and Lauren Steadman (GBR) have been trading wins and dominating for many years.
You can check out our separate report on this one here after amazing Grace outran Claire and Lauren to upgrade her Tokyo silver to a Paris gold. What a race it was.
PTS4 Women – Megan Richter claims second GB gold
We always thought this race could be very open – and when our pre-race pick for gold, Kelly Elmlinger was announced as a DNS, that was truly amplified.
Always a super swimmer, Great Britain’s Hannah Moore led the way through the opening discipline in some style, exiting the Seine a full two minutes clear of her compatriot, Megan Richter, who led a small group of athletes into T2.
Moore’s strengths are in the swim-bike elements of the race, and she kept up the pace on two wheels. Entering transition, she was still two minutes clear of Richter, who had managed to break clear of the chasers, giving herself a 54-second advantage over Marta Frances Gomez (ESP). That would prove to be so crucial.
Once onto the run, Richter started to close in, and the prospect of two British athletes on the podium was looking very realistic. Richter was gaining fast, and by 3km she had moved into the lead. The threat was coming from Spain – Megan looked to be running quick enough to hold off Marta, but could Hannah hold on for silver?
At the finish, Richter could enjoy the moment and with a winning margin of 40 seconds, become Paralympic Games champion. The silver went to Spain, with an ecstatic Hannah Moore claiming the bronze. That made it five medals on the day for Paralympics GB
Paris 2024 Paralympic Games Paratriathlon results
Monday 2 September 2023 – 750m / 20km / 5km
PTWC – Men
1. Jetze Plat (NED) – 58:16
2. Florian Brungraber (AUT) – 59:25
3. Geert Schipper (NED) – 1:00:20
PTWC – Women
1. Lauren Parker (AUS) – 1:06:23
2. Kendall Gretsch (USA) – 1:07:46
3. Leanne Taylor (CAN) – 1:12:11
PTS3 – Men
1. Daniel Molina (ESP) – 1:08:05
2. Max Gelhaar (GER) – 1:08:43
3. Nico van der Burgt (NED) – 1:09:24
PTS2 – Men
1. Jules Ribstein (FRA) – 1:05:47
2. Mohamed Lahna (USA) – 1:07:18
3. Mark Barr (USA) – 1:07:33
PTS2 – Women
1. Hailey Danz (USA) – 1:14:31
2. Veronina Yoko Plebani (ITA) – 1:15:37
3. Allysa Seely (USA) – 1:16:33
PTVI – Men
1. Dave Ellis (Guide Luke Pollard) – 58:41
2. Thibaut Rigaudeau (Guide: Cyril Viennot) – 1:00:05
3. Antoine Perel (Guide: Yohan Le Berre) – 1:00:25
PTVI – Women
1. Susana Rodriguez – ESP – (Guide: Sara Perez Sala) – 1:04:19
2. Francesca Tarantello – ITA – (Guide: Silvia Vissagi) – 1:06:43
3. Anja Renner – GER – (Guide: Maria Paulig) – 1:08:21
PTS5 – Men
1. Chris Hammer (USA) – 58:44
2. Ronan Cordeiro (BRA) – 59:01
3. Martin Schulz (GER) – 59:19
PTS4 – Men
1. Alex Hanquinquant (FRA) – 58:01
2. Carson Clough (USA) – 1:00:47
3. Nil Riudavets Victory (ESP) – 1:01:10
PTS5 – Women
1. Grace Norman (USA) – 1:04:40
2. Claire Cashmore (GBR) – 1:05:55
3. Lauren Steadman (GBR) – 1:06:45
PTS4 – Women
1. Megan Richter (GBR) – 1:14:30
2. Marta Frances Gomez (ESP) – 1:15:10
3. Hannah Moore (GBR) – 1:16:01
