Paracanoe and paratriathlon make their debuts on the Paralympic Games program at Rio. Australia has a strong medal history in canoeing and triathlon at the Olympics and it looks like this will continue at the Paralympics.
Paracanoe
Paracanoe’s first venture in international competition was at the 2010 World Championships. It is no surprise that Australia has become a leading nation due to water sports being a strong part of its sporting culture. There are three classifications (KL1, Kl2, KL3) and they have events for men and women in Rio over 200 metres.
KL1 is for paddlers with no or minimal trunk or leg function. Australia will be represented by Colin Sieders and Jocelyn Nuemueller. Sieders is a former professional racing car driver and a car accident as a 15-year-old left him with limited use of his legs. He took up paracanoe in recent tears to improve his fitness.
Nuemuller at the age of 17 developed cerebral paraparesis, a rare autoimmune disease which resulted in partial paralysis. Before taking up paracanoe in 2015, she was a successful sailor. Both athletes will be aiming to make their respective finals.
KL2 is for paddlers that have good trunk and arm function but limited use of their legs. Australia will be represented by Curtis McGrath and Susan Seipel, both medallists are previous World Championships.
McGrath’s story has received a great deal of media coverage as he lost his left leg below the knee and his right leg at the knee as a result of improvised explosive device in Afghanistan in 2012. While in recovery, McGrath set himself the goal of going to the Paralympics and took up paracanoe at the end of 2013. Since then he has won four gold medals at the World Championships.
Seipel was born with arthrogryposis multiplex, a rare disorder characterised by fusion of joints and absent muscle formation in her legs. She was a leading para-equestreian rider until she took up paracanoe in 2012. She has won bronze medals in the KL2 event at the 2014 and 2015 World Championships.
KL3 is for paddlers who have good use of their arms, trunk and legs but may have deficiencies in one leg. Australia will be represented by Dylan Littlehales and Amanda Reynolds.
Littlehales will be 16 at the Games and his right leg is missing crucial ligaments and bones. At the 2016, he finished second in the B final at the World Championships.
Reynolds at the age of 40 had the lower part of her right leg amputated after suffering 20 years of chronic pain. She has won medals at the last three World Championships including gold in 2015.
Paratriathlon
The first World Championships for paratriathlon were held in 2005.
There are five paratriathlon classifications but the PT3 classification will not be held at Rio. There will be six events with ten athletes in each event – PT1, PT2 and PT4 for men and PT2, PT4 and PT 5 for women. Each event has three disciplines – 750m swim, 20km cycle, and 5km run.
Athletes may use a handcycle, tandem bicycle or bicycle on the bike course, racing wheelchairs on the run portion and guides for vision-impaired athletes. Classifications determine the use of equipment and guides.
PT1 is for triathletes with a physical impairment impacting their lower body and they may use a recumbent handcycle on the bike course and a racing wheelchair on the run segment.
Australia has qualified two athletes – Bill Chaffey and Nic Beveridge. Chaffey became an incomplete paraplegic when hit by a truck whilst training for ironman triathlon in 2005. He quickly returned to triathlon as a paratriathlete and since 2009 has dominated PT1 classification at the World Championships.
Nic Beveridge at the age of 17 was diagnosed with transverse myelitis, a neurological disorder causing inflammation to his spinal cord. In 2012, he took up paratriathlon and his best world championship result has been ninth.
PT2 is for triathletes with mobility impairments such as muscle power, limb deficiency, hypertonia, ataxia or athetosis up to 454.9 points. Australia’s sole representative is Brant Garvey, a congential below the knee amputee, who took up paratriathlon after a successful wheelchair basketball career. He is a medal chance after finishing 6th at the 2015 World Championships. Australia has not qualified for women’s event.
PT4 is for triathletes with mobility impairments such as muscle power, limb deficiency, hypertonia, ataxia or athetosis in the range of 495 to 557 points.
Kate Doughty, who was born without a right hand, was a successful paraequestrian rider before turning to paratriathlon in 2015. At the 2015, World Championships she won a bronze medal.
Claire McLean was left with a paralysed arm after a motor bike accident at the age of 19. She won a silver medal in cycling at the 2004 Athens Paralympics but changed to paratriathlon after missing selection at the 2012 London Paralympics. Australia did not qualify an athlete for men’s event.
PT5 is for athletes with a vision impairment. Katie Kelly who is legally blind with usher’s syndrome will be guided by 2000 Sydney Olympic triathlon silver medallist Michellie Jones. In 2015, they won the World Championships.
The introduction of paracanoe and paratriathlon has opened up more opportunities for athletes with a disability to compete at the Paralympics. For some athletes, it has motivated them to take up new sports so that they could compete at Rio.
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