RIO 2016 | PARATRIATHLON MEDIA GUIDE 1 Paratriathlon | Media Guide 2 RIO 2016 | PARATRIATHLON MEDIA GUIDE ITU MEDIA CONTACTS ITU MEDIA CHANNELS ERIN GREENE ITU’s Online Media Centre has been produced to provide a portal for media to quickly gather all Senior Media Manager, ITU Communications relevant information about ITU, its events and [email protected] athletes. Media Centre services include: Office: +34 915 421 855 • Latest ITU news and press releases Mob: +34 645 216 509 • Up-to-date results, rankings and race statistics CHELSEA WHITE • Comprehensive athlete profile database Media Delegate, ITU Communications • Rights-free high-resolution photos from all major events [email protected] • Full audio from athlete interviews Mob: +1 231 590 4026 • Access to broadcast quality race video highlights OLALLA CERNUDA • Start Lists for each race, available for Media Delegate, ITU Communications download prior to every event [email protected] For more information, or to register Mob: +34 618 96 57 09 for a Media Centre account, visit media.triathlon.org FERGUS MURRAY Senior Producer, ITU TV & Broadcast Photography [email protected] ITU employs several award-winning sports Office: +1 604 904 9248 photographers to cover all mayor triathlon events, including the Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games. These stunning high- resolution images are available on the AP wire and on the ITU Online Media Centre, free for editorial use. Useful websites and social media channels @worldtriathlon, @triathlonlive @worldtriathlon facebook.com/worldtriathlon @worldtriathlon @worldtriathlon pinterest.com/itutriathlon/ @worldtriathlon linkedin.com/company/international- triathlon-union/ www.triathlon.org www.paralympic.org/triathlon RIO 2016 | PARATRIATHLON MEDIA GUIDE 3 CONTENTS FOREWORD 4 ITU HISTORY 6 ITU TRIATHLON HISTORY 8 ITU PARATRIATHLON HISTORY 10 PARALYMPIC HISTORY 11 PARALYMPIC QUALIFICAITON 12 PARATRIATHLON FORMAT 13 SPORT CLASS EXPLANATION 14 SCHEDULE, VENUE AND ROUTES 17 START LISTS 21 Men start list 22 Women start list 23 ATHLETE BIOS 25 Men bios 26 Women bios 27 PAST WORLD CHAMPIONS 91 4 RIO 2016 | PARATRIATHLON MEDIA GUIDE Welcome to the men’s and women’s triathlon at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro FOREWORD Paralympic Games! Paratriathlon’s debut at the Paralympic Games is truly a cornerstone moment in our sport. What a journey it has been over the last 27 years as an International Federation, having reached a level of success and popularity beyond our imagination. We are thrilled to be back here in beautiful Brazil to witness the first edition of paratriathlon in the Paralympic Games on iconic Copacabana Beach with Sugarloaf Mountain looming in the distance. The stage is majestically set for athletes to swim, bike and run their way to the Paralympic podium. Marisol Casado Just like at the Olympics, where we had President, International Triathlon Union 42 National Federations represented on the start lists, I’m proud of the Member of the International Olympic diverse list of National Paralympic Committee Committees sending athletes to the Paralympic Games. Although there are just 60 athletes lining up, an impressive 18 nations will be cheering on paratriathletes in Rio come September 10-11. The direction of triathlon continues to grow in the right direction, with participation continuing to increase every year, and races growing more competitive each season. Since our inclusion into the Paralympic Games was announced in 2010, we have seen a massive increase in our paratriathlon races. We are so proud to have the whole world witness our amazing sport during the Paralympic Games. RIO 2016 | PARATRIATHLON MEDIA GUIDE 5 As we forge ahead with another epic season, I'd like to reiterate ITU's commitment to growing the sport of triathlon to evolving all of our multisports, but always with the athletes being our foremost priority. While not all of our sport classes have yet to be included in the Paralympic programme, we are committed to all of the sport classes for both genders lining up at future Paralympic Games. We truly believe triathlon is for all, no matter the age or ability. We here at ITU look forward to the challenge of continuing to grow the sport in the coming years. 6 RIO 2016 | PARATRIATHLON MEDIA GUIDE ITU HISTORY The International Triathlon Union is Triathlon grew rapidly from its humble recognised by the International Olympic beginnings in San Diego and within Committee (IOC) as the world governing a matter of years it became one of body for the Olympic Sport of Triathlon. the fastest growing sports all over ITU is the most influential organisation the world. The International Olympic in the sport and the organiser of Committee (IOC) was intrigued by the the world’s premier triathlon events, sport’s meteoric growth and began including the ITU World Triathlon Series discussions to include triathlon in the & ITU Triathlon World Cup Series. ITU Olympic Games Programme in 1988. represents National Federations in 169 Then IOC president Juan Antonio countries and its sport development Samaranch arranged a meeting in initiatives are fuelling triathlon’s Stockholm that year with the intention extraordinary growth. of including triathlon in the Olympic Games as soon as possible. At that The first recorded triathlon took place meeting Canadian Les McDonald was in San Diego, California in 1974. selected as President to a working Organised by the San Diego Track committee for triathlon, while Sweden’s & Field Club as an alternative to the Sture Jonasson was elected as rigors of training on the track, the race Secretary. consisted of a 5.3-mile run, followed by a 5-mile bike and a 600-yard swim in The International Triathlon Union the bay. A total of 46 athletes finished was founded one year later, on April the race. 1, 1989, at the first ITU Congress in Avignon, France. A total of 30 National Federations attended the RIO 2016 | PARATRIATHLON MEDIA GUIDE 7 initial Congress and preparations Triathlon was officially added to the were made for the sport’s first World Olympic Programme by the IOC at its Championships to be held in Avignon in Congress in Paris in 1994. Triathlon August of 1989. At this meeting the made its Olympic debut at the 2000 Olympic distance was set at a 1.5- Games in Sydney, with Switzerlands km swim, 40-km bike and 10-km run. Brigitte McMahon and Canada’s Simon More than 800 athletes representing Whitfield earning the sport’s first gold 40 countries competed in the first medals. World Championships. Canada’s Les McDonald was elected as ITU’s first Spain’s Marisol Casado was elected as president in 1989. ITU’s second president in November of 2008. She became an IOC member Since its inception in Avignon, ITU in February of 2010 at the 122nd maintained its headquarters in IOC Session in ITU’s hometown of Vancouver, Canada until January 1st Vancouver. 2014 when this moved Lausanne, Switzerland, home of the IOC. From it’s founding ITU has grown to include over 120 affiliated National Federations around the world. ITU began the World Cup series in 1991, staging 11 races in eight countries. The Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championships Series (now the ITU World Triathlon Series) was created as ITU’s top tier race series in 2009, staging eight races in eight different countries. 8 RIO 2016 | PARATRIATHLON MEDIA GUIDE ITU TRIATHLON HISTORY The first recorded triathlon took place in San Diego, California. First Duathlon World Organised by the San Championships held in Diego Track & Field Club Cathedral City, USA as an alternative to the rigors of training on the First Long Distance track, the race consisted Duathlon World of a 5.3-mile run, followed Championships held in by a 5-mile bike and a The ITU Triathlon Zofingen, Switzerland, and 600-yard swim in the bay. World Cup Series began, the first Winter Triathlon A total of 46 athletes staging 11 races in World Championships took finished the race. eight countries. place in Mals, Italy. 1974 1989 1990 1991 1994 1997 1998 The first Congress of ITU Tiathlon was awarded full was organised by the Olympic Games medal Working Committee in status by the IOC at its Avignon, France on Congress in Paris. Aquathlon World April 1. Thirty (30) NFs Championships were France’s Isabelle were in attendance. first held, providing the Mouthon-Michellys Four months later on opportunity for athletes and Rob Barel of the August 6, the inaugural who only swam and ran to Netherlands won World Championships join the multisport world. the first Long Distance was held in Avignon Triathlon World France over an “Olympic Championships. Distance”. More than 800 athletes representing 40 countries participated. RIO 2016 | PARATRIATHLON MEDIA GUIDE 9 Triathlon made its Olympic debut at the 2000 Sydney Games. Brigitte McMahon The discipline first (SUI) and Simon Whitfield emerged in 1996, (CAN) won the sport’s first but the inaugural ITU gold medals. The ITU World Triathlon Cross Triathlon World Series was created as Championships were ITU’s top tier race series, held in 2011 in staging multiple rounds in Extremadura, Spain. iconic cities across the globe. 2000 2004 2008 2009 2010 2011 2015 First stand-alone ITU currently has more Paratriathlon than 160 affiliated World Championships The sport was officially National Federations. held. accepted into the Marisol Casado Paralympic Games at the became ITU’s IPC Governing second President. Board meeting in Guangzhou, China. 10 RIO 2016 | PARATRIATHLON MEDIA GUIDE ITU PARATRIATHLON HISTORY ITU has supported the development of The 2013 London World Paratriathlon for nearly two decades. Championships saw the biggest field But it wasn’t until 2004 that the of paratriathletes ever, with more first stand-alone Paratriathlon World than 200 athletes from 26 nations. Championships was held as a part of In the same season, the World the Madeira ITU World Championships.