British athletes were competing at World Triathlon Para Cup and World Cup events, Europe Triathlon Cup, IRONMAN and Challenge events this weekend.
Britain’s paratriathletes claimed six medals in one of the final races of the 2023 season as paratriathlon racing headed to Portugal this weekend.
There were gold medals for Claire Cashmore (Women’s PTS5) and Dave Ellis guided by Jack Hutchens (Men’s PTVI). This was Cashmore’s first time racing in Alhandra, whilst Ellis successfully defended his title from 2022 and was guided by Hutchens for the first time.
Returning with silver medals were Henry Urand (Men’s PTS3) and Mel Nicholls (Women’s PTWC). This season is the first for Urand racing internationally in paratriathlon, with the result in Alhandra is first international podium in the sport. For Nicholls, this result is her third silver of the year having also taken second place at the European Championships in Madrid and at World Triathlon Para Cup A Coruna.
The PTS4 classification saw Hannah Moore and Finley Jakes both claim bronze in the women’s and men’s races respectively. This is Moore’s comeback year in paratriathlon, with third in Alhandra her fifth podium of 2023. For Jakes, the Portuguese race holds positive results. His bronze here adding to the gold he claimed in 2021.
Finishing just off the podium were four other Brits as Louis Rolfe (Men’s PTS2) and Michael Salisbury (Men’s PTS5) both crossed the line in fourth, whilst it was fifth and sixth respectively for Josh Landman (Men’s PTWC) and Rhys Jones guided by Rhys James (Men’s PTVI).
A new race on the World Triathlon Cup calendar saw a number of Brits head to Rome for a sprint distance race.
Olivia Mathias was the highest performing of the four British women to compete in the Italian capital as she finished just outside the top-ten in 11th. The Welsh athlete holding off Australia’s Natalie Van Coevorden and finish five seconds ahead of compatriot Jess Fullagar in 14th.
The next Brit over the line was Sophia Green as she finished in 18th to make three top-20 results. In only her second race since returning from her maternity break, Vicky Holland crossed the line in 23rd.
The men’s race in Rome saw Britain represented by Harry Leleu, Jimmy Lund, Barclay Izzard and Connor Bentley.
Leleu was the first Brit to finish as he crossed the line in 14th, with Lund joining him in the top-20 not long after in 20th. Izzard finished in 26th with Bentley 44th.
Racing returned to the Spanish autonomous city of Ceuta on the north coast of the African continent for 2023 Europe Triathlon Cup Ceuta.
Hollie Elliott was the sole British athlete in the women’s race and she raced her way to a bronze medal, matching the result she’d achieved at Europe Triathlon Cup Rzeszow in June.
The men’s race saw Reuben Trotter and Sam Hart pull on the GB trisuit, with the pair crossing the line in 16th and 17th place respectively.
In the longer distance formats of swim, bike, run, there was a silver medal apiece for Alistair Brownlee and Lucy Buckingham.
Marking his return from injury, Brownlee raced at the among the leaders from the start, with his battle with eventual winner Youri Keulen (NED) providing neck-and-neck excitement across the run. The Dutchman had a decisive break in him and charged to the line in the closing stages to ta.ke the win.
It was a similar story for Buckingham who was at the front of the race across the swim and bike, with the race winner, Imogen Simmonds (SUI) joining her in leading into T2. The Swiss athlete made the run her own to race to victory, with the Brit finishing second.
James Teagle was the sole Brit racing at IRONMAN 70.3 Langkawi and he secured fifth place in the men’s race, finishing just under seven minutes behind the race winner from Australia Josh Amberger.
Image credits: World Triathlon and Challenge Family
