Para Triathlon
Athletes compete across in swimming, cycling and running using adapted equipment or tethered to a sighted guide.
about para triathlon
Para triathlon is a showcase of talent and careful technique in swimming, cycling and running. Athletes complete each discipline consecutively in one race to win it all.
Depending on their classification Para athletes compete using hand cycles, wheelchair cycles, adapted bicycles or race alongside sighted guides.
Athletes with vision impairments must remain with their guides for the entire race, even being tethered to them during swimming and running.
Classifications help to differentiate athletes using letters: PT (Para triathlon) W (wheelchair) S (standing) and VI (vision impairment).
Athletes may be assisted during transitions as it is one of the most crucial moments of the race. They must switch between their swimming to cycling gear, and then to their running uniform.
The Para triathlon distance of each discipline are unique with a 750m swim, followed by a transition to a 20km bike ride and concluding with a 5km run to the finish line. Para triathlon offers the opportunity to compete as a team or as an individual.
Para Triathlon History
The first triathlon competition for athletes without disabilities took place in the United States in 1974 and Para triathlon athletes began competing alongside athletes without disabilities as the sport gained traction.
By 1996, Para triathlon participation had skyrocketed and was significant enough for Para athletes to be fairly sorted into competition classes, which led to the first World Championship.
The sport was adopted by the global governing body World Triathlon in 1989.
Para triathlon competition initially mirrored Olympic competition distances, but these were revised in 2009 to the current distances: 750m swimming, 20km cycling and 5km running.
The year 2016 marks the debut of Para triathlon in the Paralympic sport programme. The Rio 2016 Paralympic Games featured six events - three for men and three for women.
The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games saw an increase to eight medal events, while the LA28 Paralympic Games will have 12 medal events.
DID YOU KNOW?
In Para triathlon every second matters, with the winners of some races determined only seconds apart.
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Federation contact information
Contact Information
Eric Angstadt
PARALYMPIC AND PARA SPORT RESULTS
Search for all results from Paralympic Games events and selected other international Para sport events.
Para Triathlon FAQ
Para triathlon athletes compete in different categories based on their level of impairment, each racing to be the first to cross the finish line. Each athlete undertakes three sports: swimming, cycling, and running respectively.
In their respective order, 750m swimming, 2 km cycling and km running.
The Para triathlon competition takes place across 750m swimming followed by 20km cycle and 5 km run. Meanwhile Ironman competition is 3.86km swim, 180km cycle and finishes with a marathon distance run of 42 km.
The order of the sports in Para triathlon begins with swimming, followed by cycling, and finishes with running.
In both Para triathlon and triathlon, swimming is the premier discipline because it poses the greatest danger to athletes requiring the most strength and coordination.