Blissful Triple Medal Success for GB’s Para-triathletes
Blissful triple medal success as three GB triathletes win three medals at the Tokyo Paralympic Games. Laura Steadman took Gold, with fellow team-mate Claire Cashmore taking Bronze whilst in the men’s race George Peasgood took silver.
The second day of paratriathlon saw the men’s and women’s PTS5 (mild impairment) races take place where the paratriathlon action saw athletes complete a 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run around Odaiba Marine Park.
Womens Race
Lining up at the PTS5 women’s start line were the British top ranked pair of Steadman and Cashmore to battle it out for top podium spots against strong challengers in the shape of Rio Gold medal champion Grace Norman (USA) and Frenette (CAN) sixth in para rankings.
It was Norman (USA) who set the early pace to open up a big lead 40 second lead during the swim. Out of T1 it was Frenette (CAN) and the two Brits Cashmore and Steadman who set off in pursuit of the American on the 20km bike course.
Steadman quickly closed the gap on lap 1 to 25 seconds with Cashmore 40 seconds further back having received a time penalty for a bike infringement. By the third lap Steadman had overtaken the American and started to pull away.
Out of T2 and onto the run section Steadman had opened up an 18 second lead of the American with Cashmore a little further back unable to overcome the time penalty. And that is how the positions stayed till they reached the finishing line with Steadman taking Gold in a time of 01:04:46 to add to the silver she won in Rio. Norman crossed the line 41 seconds later to take silver, with Cashmore joining them on the podium and claiming bronze.
Men’s Race
In the men’s race George Peasgood was up against all three medallists from the Rio Games. But it was Peasgood who set off as the man with a mission as he attacked right from the get-got and exiting the swim first and building up a lead of one minute as he exitied T2 onto the 20k bike section.
Hot in pursuit of Peasgood was the defending champion Martin Schulz (GER) who had reduced Peasgood lead by half. Peasgood pushed hard to stay clear of the chasers in the acknowledgement that there were good runners behind him as the closed in for the final run leg.
Out of T2 and onto the run Peasgood had maintained a 47 second lead over the second place German and with a two minutes lead over Stefan Daniel (CAN).
But this lead was not enough to prevent the reigning Champion Schulz of Germany from closing and catching Peasgood by the second run lap of four and pull away. Nonetheless, Peasgood did not panic, maintained his discipline and keep the time gap between him and the Canadian Daniel in third place.
At the line it was Schulz of Germany who crossed the line first to successfully defend his Paralympic title with Peasgood coming in a second for his maiden Paralympic medal and Canada’s Daniel taking bronze.
PTS5 category: Minimal impairments. Athlete cycles on conventional bike and runs with or without the use of an approved prosthesis and/or supportive devices.
