Rio 2016 field for Para triathlon complete

The field for Para triathlon is set, as 60 athletes will compete for the first ever Paralympic medals offered at Rio 2016. The final 17 athletes were selected by the International Triathlon Union (ITU) Bipartite Selection Panel, highlighted by the USA’s Melissa Stockwell.

Stockwell, a three-time world champion, will take on one the most competitive fields in Rio, in fact, joining two fellow US teammates – reigning world champion Allysa Seely and No. 1 ranked Hailey Danisewicz – in the women’s PT2 category. All three occupied the podium in the 2015 ITU World Triathlon Grand Final, with Stockwell taking the bronze.

Stockwell consistently finished on the podium at international events, with more than 10 total medals on the ITU circuit. She competed at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing as a member of the US Paralympic Swim Team and then made the shift to triathlon in 2009.

Para triathlon will make its Paralympic debut in September’s Games, with medal events in the women’s PT2, PT4 and PT5 and the men’s PT1, PT2 and PT4 sport classes.

The complete list of Para triathletes qualified for Rio 2016 can be found on the ITU’s website.

During the Paralympic qualification period, seven men and women in each sport class ensured their nations would be represented. As one of the slots was already allocated for host nation Brazil in the women’s PT4 sport class, the 17 remaining athletes were invited by the Bipartite Panel.

With excellence of performance the primary driver in reviewing applications for Paralympic selection, the Panel selected the following athletes:

PT1 Men - Phil Hogg (GBR), Jumpei Kimura (JPN), Nic Beveridge (AUS)

PT2 Women - Melissa Stockwell (USA)

PT2 Men - Stefan Loesler (GER), Giovanni Sasso (ITA), Lionel Morales (ESP)

PT4 Women - Claire Mclean (AUS), Patricia Collins (USA), Clare Cunningham (GBR)

PT4 Men - Maxime Maurel (FRA), George Peasgood (GBR), Jack Swift (AUS), Alexander Yalchik (RUS)

PT5 Women - Atsuko Yamada (JPN), Christine Robbins (CAN), Catherine Walsh (IRL)

Following International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) recommendations to debut the most competitive Para triathlon races possible, the ITU opted not to fill the quota in the women’s PT2 sport class. Rather, that event will see eight women compete with the two extra slots reallocated for the most populated sports class – PT4. Each gender will receive one additional spot, making the final quota at the Paralympics 31 men and 29 women.

National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) have until 22 July to confirm the use of allocated qualification and Bipartite slots.

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Sport fans from around the world can now buy their Paralympic tickets for Rio 2016 from authorised ticket resellers (ATRs).

The IPC’s Global ATR is Jet Set Sports, and Rio 2016 tickets and packages can be purchased on the CoSport website.

Residents of Brazil can buy 2016 Paralympics tickets directly from the Rio 2016 website.

Visa International is the exclusive payment card and the official payment system for the Paralympic Games.