Paratriathletes Lauren Steadman and Alison Patrick have both won gold at the Buffalo City ITU World Paratriathlon Event, gaining automatic qualification for the Paralympics in Rio
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Steadman, 23, won the PT4 category and has now qualified for her third Paralympic Games, having competed twice before as a swimmer. She said: “The top women weren’t here today so I planned to keep it steady and ensure that nothing went wrong. Meeting automatic qualification was the absolute priority. The swim was calm, the bike was a little hilly. Overall it was a great way to start the season!”
Alison Patrick, 28 from Dunfermline won the PT5 race for visually impaired athletes, guided by Nicole Walters. She finished more than three minutes ahead of Spain’s Susana Rodriguez and will look forward to her first Paralympic Games where she will line up against ITU world champion, Katie Kelly of Australia.
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There was also another gold from Ryan Taylor in the men’s PT2 event two silvers from David Hill (PT4) and Phil Hogg (PT1 ) and one bronze Melissa Reid won bronze in the PT5 category with Hazel Smith guiding..
Head coach, Jonathon Riall said that it was “a great start to 2016 with two more quota places secured for Rio and two athletes meeting automatic qualification.”
Steadman and Patrick will be automatically selected for Rio, however general selection for the rest of the team will take place following the ETU European Championships at the end of May and the conclusion of the ITU World Paratriathlon Event Series in June.
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2016 Buffalo City ITU World Paratriathlon Event results
Men’s PT1
1. Giovanni Achenza, ITA, 1:08:00
2. Phil Hogg, GBR, 1:12:09
3. Junpei Kimura, JPN, 1:17:28
Men’s PT2
1. Ryan Taylor, GBR, 1:13:33
2. Mohamed Lahna, MAR, 1:15:52
3. Michele Ferrarin, ITA, 1:16:23
Men’s PT4
1. Yannick Bourseaux, FRA, 1:04:03
2. David Hill, GBR, 1:04:55
3. Alexander Yalchik, RUS, 1:05:46
Women’s PT4
1. Lauren Steadman, GBR, 1:13:00
2. Gwladys Lemoussu, FRA, 1:18:21
3. Tamiris Hintz, HUN, 1:27:41
Women’s PT5
1. Alison Patrick, GBR, 1:07:31
2. Susana Rodriguez, ESP, 1:10:45