Media

Just three events now remain in the races for places at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Alongside this weekend’s World Triathlon Para Cup event Besancon, there will be two Para Series showdowns in Swansea and Montreal on successive weekends. Time is therefore running out for the athletes to secure their places on the Paris start line before the qualifying window closes on 1st July.

To qualify, an athlete must be ranked in the top-9 of the Paralympic rankings in their respective classification. The exception is the women’s PTS3 class. This will be merged with the women’s PTS4 class in Paris, with nine athletes coming from the PTS4 category and five from the PST3. 

In total, however, 120 slots will be allocated for the Para-triathlon events, of which 54 will be assigned through the men’s rankings and 50 through the women’s. Note, a maximum of two slots per NF in each category will be available through the rankings. That leaves 16 places to be allocated through the Bipartite Commission invitations that, unlike the rankings slots, will go to specific athletes.

Read on to find out who is currently in line to qualify and who could yet vault themselves into a berth at the Paralympic Games.

PTWC

Men

1) Geert Schipper H2 (NED) 1631.56 points
2) Howie Sanborn H1 (USA) 1562.47
3) Florian Brungraber H2 (AUT) 1557.69
4) Giovanni Achenza H1 (ITA) 1554.02
5) Nic Beveridge H1 (AUS) 1479.34
6) Jetze Plat H2 (NED) 1435.00
7) Louis Noel H2 (FRA) 1429.34
8) Jumpei Kimura H1 (JPN) 1405.89
9) Fathi Zwoukhi H1 (TUN) 1376.68

The reigning world champion Geert Schipper H2 moved into the lead of the men’s PTWC standings after his win at WTPS Yokohama. Notably, the defending Olympic champion Jetze Plat H2 is currently down in 6th place and heads to Besancon to make sure he keeps a watchful eye on those below. One athlete that will be looking to rise is Giuseppe Romele H1. The Italian athlete is ranked 10th right now with 1350 pointsand thus is extremely close to entering the all-important top-9. 

Women

1) Lauren Parker H1 (AUS) 1800.00 points
2) Kendall Gretsch H2 (USA) 1591.55
3) Eva María Moral Pedrero H1 (ESP) 1554.02
4) Jessica Ferreira H1 (BRA) 1540.12
5) Leanne Taylor H1 (CAN) 1521.22
6) Brenda Osnaya Alvarez H1 (MEX) 1397.23
7) Melissa Nicholls H1 (GBR) 1370.59
8) Emelia Perry H1 (USA) 1313.11
9) Mona Francis H2 (FRA) 1302.78

As things stand, the women’s PTWC class is one of the more clear-cut classifications. Skyler Fisher H2 is the next woman in the rankings with 1217 points and so could rise. However, she would be the third American and so would need to overtake her compatriot Emelia Perry H1 as well. At the top of the rankings, Lauren Parker H1 is one of four Para athletes to have clocked the maximum 1800 points with her three races in the qualifying window.

PTVI

Men

1) Dave Ellis B3 (GBR) 1700.00 points
2) Thibaut Rigaudeau B3 (FRA) 1572.50
3) Owen Cravens B3 (USA) 1524.61
4) Antoine Perel B1 (FRA) 1523.94
5) Oscar Kelly B3 (GBR) 1452.80
6) Héctor Catalá Laparra B2 (ESP) 1447.50
7) Kyle Coon B1 (USA) 1407.12
8) Sam Harding B3 (AUS) 1373.78
9) Jose Luis García Serrano B1 (ESP) 1335.30

The men’s world champion Dave Ellis B3 has a comfortable lead at the top of the men’s PTVI class. With a home Para Series event to come in Swansea, it is hard to see him being overtaken. The race for 9th, though, remains very much alive. In 10th and 11th, Satoru Yoneoka B1 (JPN) and Łukasz Wietecki B3 (POL) have 1315.11 and 1285.03 points, respectively. As such, they are only one big result away from threatening the top-9.

Women

1) Susana Rodriguez B1 (ESP) 1706.25 points
2) Francesca Tarantello B3 (ITA) 1700.00
3) Anja Renner B3 (GER) 1554.02
4) Chloe MacCombe B3 (IRL) 1491.81
5) Annouck Curzillat B1(FRA) 1417.84
6) Heloise Courvoisier B3 (FRA) 1370.59
7) Judith MacCombe B3 (IRL) 1355.89
8) Anna Barbaro B1 (ITA) 1325.58
9) Maggie Sandles B3 (AUS) 1323.51

The battle for dominance in the women’s PTVI class remains a tight one between Susana Rodriguez B1 and Francisca Tarantello B3. Another noteworthy point is that the PTVI class contains a double dose from the MacCombe family as sisters Chloe and Judith are both in line to qualify. Towards the end of the rankings, there is another close battle for the final slots as Leticia Freitas B1 (BRA) and McClain Hermes B1 (USA) have 1310.47 and 1284.34 points apiece.

PTS2

Men

1) Mohamed Lahna (USA) 1606.25 points
2) Mark Barr (USA) 1600.00
3) Jules Ribstein (FRAU) 1600.00
4) Maurits Morsink (NED) 1565.19
5) Lionel Morales (ESP) 1512.77
6) Wim De Paepe (BEL) 1415.21
7) Stephane Bahier (FRA) 1375.00
8) Thomas Goodman (AUS) 1355.62
9) Geoffrey Wersy (FRA) 1331.37
10) Gianluca Valori (ITA) 1323.78

The men’s PTS2 class contains one of the few instances in which national quotas already look as if they will come into place. While Jules Ribstein and Stephane Bahier occupy 3rd and 7th in the rankings, Geoffrey Wersy holds 9th place and so is the odd man out. Glen Jarvis (AUS) has 1282.83 points and could slide into the top-10 (factoring in the French quota limit) while Juan Esteban Patiño Giraldo (COL) is right behind with 1281.40 points.

Women

1) Hailey Danz (USA) 1800.00 points
2) Anu Francis (AUS) 1706.25
3) Melissa Stockwell (USA) 1562.77
4) Allysa Seely (USA) 1535.50
5) Yukako Hata (JPN) 1483.06
6) Veronica Yoko Plebani (ITA) 1350.00
7) Cécile Saboureau (FRA) 1350.00
8) Neele Ludwig (GER) 1340.28
9) Rakel Mateo Uriarte (ESP) 1238.09
10) Emma Juaisca Rodriguez Rodriguez (VEN) 1197.01

USA hotshot Hailey Danz is the second athlete with 1800 points to her name. Behind her, two of her fellow Americans face an internal race for the second slot. Melissa Stockwell is ranked 3rd while Allysa Seely is ranked 4th. Only two can be selected through the ranking system and so the core race of the women’s PTS2 class looks to be between these two athletes.

PTS3

Men

1) Nico Van Der Burgt (NED) 1654.02 points
2) Daniel Molina (ESP) 1600.00
3) Max Gelhaar (GER) 1547.50
4) Cedric Denuziere (FRAU) 1492.72
5) Justin Godfrey (AUS) 1491.81
6) Michael Herter (FRA) 1455.89
7) Henry Urand (GBR) 1375.00
8) Hwang Tae Kim (KOR) 1355.62
9) Giovanni Sciaccaluga (ITA) 1270.98

The general impression of the men’s PTS3 class is that the leading eight men seem safe and that it is the final slot that is up for grabs. Kini Carrasco (ESP) has 1258.24 points while Diego Lardón Ferrer (ESP) has 1251.28 points. An additional twist in the race for 9th is that Carrasco and Lardón are both Spanish. With Daniel Molina already ranked 2nd, there is only space for one more Spanish athlete to qualify. Even if Carrasco and Lardón both rise into the top-9, then, only one can truly benefit.

Remember, the women of the PTS3 classification will race in the PTS4 category in Paris.

PTS4

Men

1) Alexis Hanquinquant (FRA) 1800.00 points
2) Pierre-Antoine Baele (FRA) 1537.81
3) Carson Clough (USA) 1521.22
4) Antonio Franko (CRO) 1485.78
5) Nil Riudavets Victory (ESP) 1474.61
6) Michael Taylor (GBR) 1450.00
7) Jeremy Peacock (AUS)1447.23
8) Liam Twomey (AUS) 1352.78
9) Gregoire Berthon (FRA)  1350.00
10) Finley Jakes (GBR) 1303.09

Home athlete Alexis Hanquinquant has shown why he can be considered a favourite for gold in Paris as he has logged 1800 points across his three races in the qualifying window. With Pierre-Antoine Baele also ranked 2nd, Gregoire Berthon is crowded out in 9th place as the third French athlete, giving hope to Finley Jakes and those just outside the top 10.

Women [PTS3 + PTS4]

1) Kelly Elmlinger (USA) PTS4 1800.00 points
2) Marta Francés Gómez (ESP) PTS4 1557.69
3) Grace Brimelow (AUS) PTS4 1500.00
4) Sally Pilbeam (AUS) PTS4 1451.82
5) Emma Meyers (USA) PTS4 1445.28
6) Elise Marc (FRA) PTS3 1435.00
7) Hannah Moore (GBR) PTS4 1412.47
8) Megan Richter (GBR) PTS4 1375.00
9) Kirsty Weir (RSA) PTS4 1366.25
10) Kendra Herber (USA) PTS4 1348.40
11) Elke Van Engelen (GER) PTS4 1344.37
12) Camille Seneclauze (FRA) PTS4 1303.09
13) Mami Tani (JPN) PTS4 1275.10
14) Kelly Worrell (USA) PTS4 1184.95
15) Kenia Yesenia Villalobos Vargas (MEX) PTS3 1155.93
16) Atalia Nevo (ISR) PTS4 1146.77
17) Cassie Cava (IRL) PTS3 1124.83
18) Carmen Gonzalez Sanchez (ESP) PTS4 1059.34
19) Anna Plotnikova (RUS) PTS3 1058.99
20) Hannah MacDougall (AUS) PTS4 745.69
21) Marie Delatour (FRA) PTS4 356.15
22) Rachel Watts (USA) PTS4 329.44
23) Sanne Koopman (NED) PTS3 321.01

The combined women’s PTS3/PTS4 event is a little more complicated. Kelly Elmlinger is the fourth and final athlete with a grand total of 1800 points to her name. With Emma Meyers set to qualify as the second PTS4 American, there may be no place for Kendra Herber, Kelly Worrell and Rachel Watts. Meanwhile, Elise Marc is the leading PTS3 woman while Sanne Koopman is currently slated to be the last of the five qualifiers to make it to Paris.

PTS5

Men

1) Stefan Daniel (CAN) 1706.25 points
2) Chris Hammer (USA) 1657.69
3) Martin Schulz (GER) 1562.50
4) Jack Howell (AUS) 1524.03
5) Bence Mocsari (HUN) 1498.07
6) Ronan Cordeiro (BRA) 1453.65
7) David Bryant (AUS) 1349.34
8) Ugurcan Ozer (TUR) 1338.48
9) Filipe Marques (POR) 1335.30

The top-9 in the men’s PTS5 class are starting to look settled although it would be unwise to count out Jairo Ruiz Lopez (ESP) who has 1267.80 points. The defending Paralympic champion Martin Schulz is currently only ranked 3rd in a testament of the depth of the class.

Women

1) Grace Norman (USA) 1750.00 points
2) Claire Cashmore (GBR) 1647.50
3) Lauren Steadman (GBR) 1557.69
4) Kamylle Frenette (CAN) 1533.36
5) Gwladys Lemoussu (FRA) 1470.59
6) Marta Dzieciątkowska ( POL) 1408.75
7) Alisa Kolpakcha (UKR) 1399.31
8) Andrea Miguelez Ranz (ESP) 1374.03

Grace Norman has asserted herself at the top of the PTS5 class throughout the qualifying window, though yet another close battle with her great rivals Claire Cashmore and Lauren Steadman looks inevitable in Paris. As with the men’s class, the PTS5 category seems to be dialled in. A late charge from Emilie Gral (FRA) or Monika Belczewska (POL), who have 1248.75 and 1225.92 points, respectively, could shake things up but both will require a big performance before the end of the qualifying window.

With two World Para Series events and a World Para Cup to come, stay up to date on the latest Para-triathlon developments across all World Triathlon channels.