As the countdown to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games comes to an end, excitement builds for the start of the para triathlon events.
The competition kicks off this Sunday, 1 September, featuring athletes from the PTS2, PTS3, PTS4, and PTS5 classifications, followed by the PTWC and PTVI categories on Monday, 2 September.
Australia is well represented by its strongest Paralympic team ever, with 13 athletes making this the fourth-largest para triathlon team at the Games.
With a blend of seasoned veterans and rising stars, the team is set to showcase their talent and resilience, aiming for standout performances and podium finishes.
Learn more about the athletes making up the team, their incredible journeys, and their aspirations for the Games as they gear up to compete at the grandest stage.
Nic Beveridge – PTWC Men
Nic Beveridge, who grew up in Mackay with a passion for sports like cross country, swimming, water polo, and hockey, faced a life-altering moment at 17 when he woke up paralysed from the waist down due to transverse myelitis, a rare neurological condition.
During a hospital stay coinciding with the London 2012 Paralympic Games, Beveridge found inspiration in five-time World Champion, and eventual Rio 2016 teammate, Bill Chaffey and decided to pursue para triathlon.
He made his international debut the following year at the 2013 World Triathlon Para Championships in London and made his Paralympic debut three years later at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, where he finished in ninth place.
Since then, he’s secured six World Triathlon Para Series podiums, including gold in Yokohama in 2022, won a silver medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, and finished seventh at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
As he heads to Paris, Beveridge is set to make history as the first para triathlete to compete in three Paralympic Games.
Thomas Goodman – PTS2 Men
Thomas Goodman first donned the green and gold in 2008, representing Australia with the Pararoos in Canada.
Born with hemiplegia, which causes severe muscle weakness on one side of his body, the South Australian found inspiration in his younger sister Molly, who has been a member of the Australian Women’s Rowing Team at the past three Olympics.
Remarkably, Thomas and Molly are the first siblings to be selected for the Paralympic and the Olympic Games.
Motivated by watching her compete in Tokyo 2020, he turned to para triathlon, starting with local races before setting his sights on the highest level.
Goodman quickly made an impact, winning the 2024 Oceania Triathlon Para Championships in Stockton, and securing a solid sixth-place finish at the World Triathlon Para Series in Devonport.
His standout performance at this year’s Yokohama race confirmed his place among Australia’s Paralympic hopefuls, securing a bronze medal in only his third World Triathlon Para Series event.
Justin Godfrey – PTS3 Men
Justin Godfrey wasn’t ever sure he’d compete at the Paralympic Games, but at 50-years-old he’s set to make his dream a reality.
Following a motorcycle accident in his teenage years that led to the amputation of his lower leg, Godfrey initially played wheelchair basketball at a national level and competed in mountain biking.
He was introduced to para triathlon in 2012, made his debut for Australia the following year. He has since secured five World Triathlon Para Series victories.
Leading up to the introduction of triathlon at the Rio 2016 Paralympics, Godfrey was performing strongly both domestically and internationally. However, his classification was excluded from the program, a situation that repeated itself for Tokyo 2020.
Turning his focus to cross triathlon, Godfrey claimed two World Championships before injury in 2018 seemed to close the door on his career.
That all changed in late 2021 when the International Paralympic Committee expanded the triathlon program for Paris 2024, giving Godfrey the long-awaited chance to represent Australia on the Paralympic stage.
Jeremy Peacock – PTS4 Men
Inspired by Australian para sports legends Dylan Alcott and Kurt Fearnley, Geelong’s Jeremy Peacock has embarked on his own journey in para triathlon.
Born three months premature, Peacock was diagnosed with hemiplegia cerebral palsy. Despite this, he excelled in able-bodied running during his school years, pursued cycling in his early 20s, and transitioned to triathlon in 2017 – competing in Olympic distance and IRONMAN 70.3 events.
It wasn’t until 2019 that he began exploring para sports more actively, sharing his journey with cerebral palsy. He made his domestic para triathlon debut in 2020 and quickly made his mark on the international stage, debuting in 2022.
His first year competing internationally was marked by a standout performance, earning a bronze medal at the 2022 World Triathlon Para Championships.
Liam Twomey – PTS4 Men
Diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, Liam Twomey faced a life-changing challenge at just seven years old, resulting in the amputation of his right leg below the knee.
The impact of the amputation led to significant struggles with his mental health during his teenage years. Twomey struggled with of identity issues and grief about losing his leg and openly shares to resorting to drugs and alcohol as coping mechanisms.
He discovered a passion for swimming at 22, which ignited his dream of becoming a Paralympian, and a chance encounter with Brant Garvey at a prosthetic running clinic in Queensland inspired him to try triathlon.
Rapid progress in the sport saw him representing Australia in international races within six months.
Though he narrowly missed out on the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, finishing just outside the qualification ranking required, he used this setback as fuel for his journey.
His determination paid off as he secured his spot for the 2024 Paris Paralympics, with standout performances including a second-place finish at the 2023 World Triathlon Para Cup in Malaga and a victory at the 2024 World Triathlon Para Cup in Tata last month.
Jack Howell – PTS5 Men
At just 20 years old, Berwick’s Jack Howell has rapidly emerged as one of para triathlon’s biggest rising stars.
Born prematurely with a condition known as symbrachydactyly, Howell experienced congenital amputation of his left hand and limitations in his left arm’s length and motion.
Despite these challenges, he excelled as a competitive swimmer and cross-country runner in his youth.
At 13-years-old, Howell took up triathlon, racing in his age group against able-bodied competitors due to the absence of a disability category for junior triathletes. It wasn’t until 2022, when he was officially classified, that he began competing in para triathlon on the international stage.
Since then, Howell has secured a trio of podium finishes in the World Triathlon Para Series, including his first gold medal in Devonport earlier this season.
David Bryant – PTS5 Men
David Bryant’s journey into para triathlon began in his teens when he took up running as a means of rehabilitation after an operation to address the growing disparity in the length of his legs.
Born with a clubfoot in his right leg, Bryant developed a three-size shoe difference, a one-inch leg length disparity, and reduced power in his right leg due to the uneven development of his stronger leg.
Bryant’s attention shifted from marathon running to para triathlon after AusTriathlon approached him about getting classified to see what he could achieve—and he hasn’t looked back.
Since then, he’s stormed onto the world stage, capturing four World Triathlon Para Series podiums, and representing Australia at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games where he delivered an impressive seventh-place finish.
Sam Harding – PTVI Men
Sam Harding, who has a visual impairment called choroideremia that has severely reduced his peripheral vision, began his athletic journey as a tandem cyclist before discovering his love for running in 2009.
Encouraged by his mum and teacher, he participated in an Australian Paralympic Committee talent search program, which led to his selection for the 2009 Australian Paralympic Youth Games in Melbourne. There, he made a stunning debut, winning three gold medals in the 400m, 800m, and 1500m events.
Despite being selected for the 800m event at the London 2012 Paralympics, a bout of glandular fever left him bedridden on the day of his race. He shifted his focus to the 800m for Rio 2016, only to have the event dropped from the program. But his perseverance paid off at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, where he finally achieved his dream of becoming a Paralympian, finishing 11th in the 1500m T13.
After Tokyo, Harding sought a new challenge and, following a conversation with psychologist Avish Sharma, made the bold decision to switch to para triathlon. He made his debut in February 2022 in Devonport and quickly found success, earning a silver medal alongside guide Luke Harvey at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Aaron Royle – Guide
Two-time Olympian Aaron Royle is set to guide Sam Harding at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
Known as a cornerstone of the Australian teams in the 2010’s, Royle made his World Triathlon Series debut aged 20, winning the Under 23 World Championship in 2012.
Throughout his short course career he secured three World Triathlon Series podiums and enjoyed success in the mixed relay, becoming a key member of the quartets that medalled at the 2015, 2018 and 2019 World Championships and 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
The 34-year-old, who represented Australia at the 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, has since transitioned to middle-distance events and currently races the T100 Triathlon World Tour.
He was introduced to the role of guide by his best friend David Mainwaring, Sam’s former guide and one of Royle’s groomsmen at his 2022 wedding.
Royle and Harding made their debut as a duo at the World Triathlon Para Series in Swansea, where they clinched a bronze medal.
Lauren Parker – PTWC Women
Newcastle’s Lauren Parker is widely regarded as Australia’s best chance for Paralympic Games gold in Paris.
She secured her spot at her second Games by topping the PTWC Women’s rankings – winning every race in the qualifying period.
Once a promising elite able-bodied triathlete and Australian representative, Parker’s career took a dramatic turn in 2017 during a training ride for IRONMAN Australia. At 40km/hr, a blowout sent her crashing into a guard rail. The accident resulted in a punctured lung, broken ribs, a shattered shoulder blade, a fractured pelvis, and a damaged spinal cord.
After enduring six months of hospital and spinal rehabilitation, Lauren shifted her focus to para triathlon. Just three months into her new discipline, she clinched a bronze medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.
The four-time world champion won a silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, finishing behind gold medal winner Kendall Gretsch (USA) in a dramatic sprint finish.
Since then, Parker has been unstoppable – winning 14 straight race, including nine World Triathlon Para Series triumphs and victory at last year’s Paris 2024 test event.
She will represent Australia in two sports at the Games, also being selected to the para cycling team.
Anu Francis – PTS2 Women
Anu Francis’ dreams of becoming a veterinarian were derailed by a diagnosis of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a degenerative connective tissue disorder that rendered her ineligible for her chosen career path.
Undeterred, she turned to sport, first exploring para badminton and later finding her place in para rowing. Yet, another challenge emerged with the diagnosis of Dopa-responsive dystonia, a rare neurological condition. This setback resulted in narrowly missing qualification for the Tokyo Paralympics due to classification issues.
Drawing on her childhood passion for running, Francis pivoted to para triathlon. She was talent-identified into para triathlon in 2020 and her international debut came in 2022 at the World Triathlon Para Series in Swansea, where she clinched a silver medal.
Since then, she has secured five additional World Triathlon Para Series podiums, including her first gold medal in Devonport earlier this year, and victory at last year’s Paris 2024 test event.
Grace Brimelow – PTS4 Women
At just 17 years old, Grace Brimelow is set to make history as the youngest Australian ever to compete in triathlon at the Paralympic Games.
Born with Cri Du Chat syndrome, a rare genetic disorder caused by missing pieces on a specific chromosome, Grace faces challenges impacting her physical capacity and strength.
Brimelow’s journey into para triathlon began when her physical education teacher at Sunshine Coast Grammar School recognised her exceptional talent in running and swimming.
In 2022, her potential was further nurtured when she was selected for a national para development camp for triathlon in Melbourne. Her international debut came in 2023 at the Oceania Para Triathlon Cup, marking the beginning of a promising career.
She has quickly established herself as a rising star in the sport, boasting an impressive record with five wins from six starts. Notably, she secured World Triathlon Para Series gold in Devonport in March.
Sally Pilbeam – PTS4 Women
Sally Pilbeam’s international triathlon career began in 2013, quickly establishing herself at the top of the sport with back-to-back World Championship titles in 2014 and 2015.
She had her right arm and shoulder amputated at the age of 21 after finding a golf ball-sized lump while shaving her armpit. Tests revealed a diagnosis of the rare cancer strain, synovial sarcoma.
Her performance as a two-time World Champion positioned her well as triathlon was introduced to the Paralympic Games at Rio 2016. But unfortunately, her classification was not included in the Rio program.
The disappointment continued for Tokyo 2020, as the same exclusion occurred. Pilbeam attempted to qualify in a higher classification but ultimately decided to step away from the sport.
The landscape changed in late 2021 when the International Paralympic Committee expanded the triathlon program for Paris 2024. This development reignited Pilbeam’s dream, offering her a renewed opportunity to showcase her talent on the Paralympic stage.
