The Great Britain Paratriathlon team made a good start to the ITU World Paratriathlon Event Series in East London, South Africa with two gold medals, three silvers and a bronze. Rhiannon Henry won gold in her triathlon debut.

Henry won gold in her first ever triathlon having come to the sport late last year.  Her background includes three Paralympic Games as a swimmer and competing for Wales in the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games as a cyclist.  The 27 year-old raced in the PT5 (visually impaired) category with guide, Nicola Walters.

Henry and Walters finished in the gold medal position ahead of Britain’s Melissa Reid, the ITU World Championships silver medallist from last September.

Clare Cunningham claimed a dominant gold medal in the PT4 category. She won by nine minutes from Gwladys Lemoussu of France.

Andy Lewis and Ryan Taylor won silver and bronze in the PT2 category, and George Peasgood won an excellent silver medal in the PT4 category. Lewis races with a right leg running blade, whilst Taylor, 21, is a former member of the England cerebral palsy football team.  Another youngster, Peasgood, is just 19 years-old.

British Triathlon Performance Manager, Jonathon Riall, was pleased with the early season results in very hot conditions. The squad will miss the next round of the Series in Australia and resume racing in the Series in Madrid in May.

Great Britain Paratriathlon Results, 2015 Buffalo City ITU World Paratriathlon Event

Women’s PT4
1. Clare Cunningham, GBR, 1:17:38

Women’s PT5
1. Rhiannon Henry, GBR, 1:11:46 (guided by Nicole Walters)
2. Melissa Reid, GBR, 1:16:23 (guided by Grace France)

Men’s PT2
1. Stephane Bahier, FRA, 1:16:54
2. Andrew Lewis, GBR, 1:19:41
3. Ryan Taylor, GBR, 1:20:11

Men’s PT4
1. Yannick Bourseaux, FRA, 1:06:21
2. George Peasgood, GBR, 1:08:17