Australia to hold first Para-Triathlon Nationals

Michael Milton (AUS) competes in the Men's Individual pursuit Track Cycling event at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games © • Getty Images Paralympian and Olympian Louise Sauvage is regarded as Australia’s greatest wheelchair athlete. © • Getty Images

Paralympian and Olympian Sauvage, 39, is regarded as Australia’s greatest wheelchair athlete – winning 11 gold and four silver medals at four Paralympic and two Olympic Games between 1992 and 2004.

The names Louise Sauvage, Michael Milton, John Maclean and Bill Chaffey are synonymous with some of the most amazing feats achieved by Australian sportsmen and women – inspirations to so many who have followed their stories over two decades of Paralympic and Olympic triumphs.

And they will now all come together on one sporting stage to celebrate the first ever Australian Para-triathlon Championships on Friday (11 January) at Penrith’s Sydney International Regatta Centre, where the race begins at 7:00 local time.

Paralympian and Olympian Sauvage, 39, is regarded as Australia’s greatest wheelchair athlete – winning 11 gold and four silver medals at four Paralympic and two Olympic Games between 1992 and 2004.

Sauvage, who has taken up a coaching role for wheelchair athletes since retiring after the Athens 2004 Athens Games, will line up in one of her few triathlons.

“I have done a few individual legs and a couple of smaller triathlons but when I saw the first National Championship I thought, why not?” Sauvage told Triathlon Australia.

Sauvage has undergone some rigorous training under Olympic water polo gold medallist Bec Rippon.

“Bec and I have been great mates over a long time and she has been coaching me both in the pool and in the gym but don’t get any thoughts of a comeback for Rio, I just want to complete a Paratriathlon.

“But it’s more than fun, I’ve always been a competitive person and I always will be.

“I have been ringing Bill (Chaffey) constantly to get as many tips as I can. He’s probably sick of the sound of my voice.”

Paralympian and three-time Hawaiian Ironman triathlete, swimmer and Paralympic rower Maclean will join Sauvage and Chaffey in the Tri-1 category.

Maclean has been an inspiration to Paralympians worldwide with his extraordinary career including three Hawaiian Ironman Triathlons – the last one in 1997 when he beat a third of the field and became the first ever wheelchair category winner.

Friday’s course will include a 750m swim, a 20km handcylce and a 5km wheelchair push.

The man to beat in the Tri-1 category will be the Gold Coast’s three-time ITU Paratriathlon World Champion, Chaffey.

Chaffey has been the dominant force in the Tri 1 category – winning his three world titles on the Gold Coast in 2009, Beijing in 2011 and Auckland in 2012 – and he is determined to add his name to the Paralympian honour role when the sport makes its debut at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

Six-time Paralympian and four-time gold medallist, Milton, has contested the last two ITU World Paratriathlon Championships in Beijing in 2011 and Auckland in 2012 – his best result coming in Beijing, where he finished fourth.