American para triathlete Alysa Seely became the first para triathlete to win two gold medals at the Paralympics, following her win in Rio with a second win in Tokyo yesterday. The PTS2 division came down to the run as American’s Seely, Hailey Danz and Melissa Stockwell, along with Brit Fran Brown and Italy’s Veronica Yoko Plebani were all in the mix for the medals at one point.
Seely would overtake countrywoman Danz in the last km to take gold, with Plebani would take bronze.
The first gold of the Para triathlon at the games went to Alexis Hanquinquant, who won the PTS4 division. He led Great Britain’s Michael Taylor out of the water by 30 seconds and never looked back, even despite a fall on the run. The Frenchman would take the win well ahead of Japan’s Hideki Uda, while Spain’s Alejandro Sanchez Palomero rounded out the podium.
Spain’s Susana Rodriguez took the gold medal in the competitive (12 athletes) in the PTVI division – she and guide Sara Loehr led out of the water and never looked back to take the gold medal. For the rest of the medals things came down to the run as Canada’s Jessica Tuomela (with guide Marianne Hogan) faded to fifth, while Italy’s Anna Barbaro along with guid Charlotte Bonin stayed strong for the silver medal. France’s Annouk Curzillat and guide Celine Busrez had a strong final km to hold off Great Britain’s Allison Peasgood (with guide Nikki Bartlett) for the bronze medal.
In the men’s PTVI it was American Brad Snyder and guide Greg Billington who took gold, leading out of the water and staying in front to the end. Spain’s Hector Catala Laparra and guide Gustavo Rodriguez Iglesias went from second to last out of the water to the silver medal. Japan’s Satoru Yoneoka and guide Naoki Okamura would take the bronze medal.
