Paratriathlon brings three sports together in one epic competition. The event consists of a 750-meter swim, a 20-kilometer bike ride and a 5k run. Paratriathlon was first contested at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games. At the Rio and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, the U.S. has brought home nine medals (5 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze), the most of any country in Paralympic triathlon.
Paratriathletes compete in categories based on their physical disabilities, allowing athletes to race against those with similar impairments. However, not every category is contested at every Paralympics. Athletes can choose to race “up” in a category against athletes with less severe impairments. In Paris, women in the PTS3 category will race in the PTS4 category. In the seated races, athletes use a handcycle in the cycling segment and a racing wheelchair for the running segment. In the visually impaired races, athletes are assisted by a guide and are connected by a tether in the swim, ride in tandem with the guide in the front, and also use a tether in the run. In the standing events, athletes can modify their bikes and use assistive equipment, such as prosthetic legs.
After a successful training camp in Vichy, France, the U.S. Paralympic Triathlon Team is primed to bring home more hardware at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games! Watch all 19 athletes race Sunday, Sept. 1 and Monday, Sept. 2.
Athletes to Watch: #
- Grace Norman (Bloomington, Ind., PTS5), a three-time Paralympic medalist, is a veteran of the sport, winning gold at Rio 2016 and silver at Tokyo 2020. She also competed in track in field in Rio, winning bronze in the 400m.
- Kendall Gretsch (Downers Grove, Ill., PTWC) won gold in Tokyo in an exciting sprint finish as the PTWC classification made its Paralympic debut. Gretsch is a two-sport star, also winning five Paralympic medals in Nordic skiing and biathlon at the Pyeongchang and Beijing Winter Paralympics.
- Carson Clough (Charlotte, N.C., PTS4) makes his Paralympic debut in Paris, just over two years since beginning the sport of paratriathlon in 2022. Also a business owner of a coffee shop in his hometown of Charlotte, Clough has over 10 podium finishes in 17 World Triathlon starts.
- Chris Hammer (Gilbert, Ariz., PTS5) finished fourth at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. He made his Paralympic debut at London 2012, competing in the 1,500 meters and marathon.
- Owen Cravens (Algonquin, Ill., PTVI) makes his Paralympic debut in Paris. He trains in Tempe, Arizona, with USA Triathlon’s elite development group, Project Podium. He and Hammer are the first two paratriathletes to train with the able-bodied squad. Cravens races with guide Ben Hoffman.
For inquiries: Kennedy Terry - kennedy.terry@usatriathlon.org