In 2024, the Road to Paris starts in Stockton for Australia’s Paralympic hopefuls.
This weekend’s Oceania Triathlon Para Championships in Stockton marks the first Paralympic ranking race of the year.
And with just 13 races remaining before the Qualification Period ends on July 1, a star-studded start list is ready to compete for ranking points.
Hometown hero Lauren Parker (PTWC), joins fellow Paralympians Nic Beveridge (PWTC), Sam Harding (PTVI), and David Bryant (PTS5), looking to secure her sixth-straight Oceania Championship title.
World Triathlon Para Series representatives Thomas Goodman (PTS2 Men), Glen Jarvis (PTS2), Jeremy Peacock (PTS4), Liam Twomey (PTS4), Jack Howell (PTS5), Anu Francis (PTS2), Grace Brimelow (PTS2), Sally Pilbeam (PTS4), Maggie Sandles (PTVI) and Caroline Baird (PTVI) also take the start line.
While three Australian athletes – Thomas Walvin (PTWC), Matthew Engesser (PTS4), and Natalie Shaw (PTS4) – will also make their debuts at the Continental level.
How para triathletes will qualify for the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games?
At Paris 2024, medals are to be awarded for men and women in the PTWC, PTVI, PTS2, PTS4 and PTS5 categories, while medals are also to be awarded to men in the PTS3 competition.
The qualification route for the Olympic Games are rather straightforward than those of the Olympic Games, with athletes aiming to earn quota positions at the end of the Qualification Period, before selection through a nomination process.
Quota Positions
For all medal events, except the women’s PTS4, the nine top-ranked athletes on the World Triathlon Paralympic Qualification Ranking as of July 1, 2024 will earn their nation a quota spot.
For the women’s PTS4, the top nine PTS4 athletes qualify under the same rules as the other categories, but the top five PTS3 athletes also qualify, with a maximum of one per country.
There are a maximum of two spots available per nation.
It must be noted that each qualified place goes to that country, rather than the specific athletes achieving those ranking places.
Another sixteen eligible athletes are then to be selected by the IPC and World Triathlon on the allocation basis of gender equality and worldwide representation of athletes and nations.
Nomination Criteria
Athletes can secure their spot through three nomination avenues: Automatic Nomination, Discretionary Nomination, and Bipartite Commission Invitation Application.
Automatic Nomination
AusTriathlon automatically nominate up to two athletes, per gender and class, if they are among the top five in the World Triathlon Paralympic Qualification Rankings as of July 1, 2024
Discretionary Nomination
If there are still available spots after the automatic nomination process, the AusTriathlon Elite Selection Committee (ESC) has the option of using discretionary nomination to fill those positions.
During the discretionary nomination process, the ESC will assess athlete performances, considering World Triathlon Para Championship (PTWC) and World Triathlon Para Series (WTPS) events.
Bipartite Invitation
AusTraithlon will only seek a Bipartite Invitation for the 2024 Paralympic Games after completing both Automatic and Discretionary nominations.
The order of priority for Bipartite Invitations is outlined, with preference given to previous medal winners at the most recent Paralympic Games and those achieving podium results in World Triathlon Para Series races during the Paralympic qualifying period.
Paralympic Qualification Rankings (As of 1 Feb, 2024)
PTWC Men
11 – Nic Beveridge
PTS2 Men
11 – Glen Jarvis
16 – Thomas Goodman
PTS3 Men
6 – Justin Godfrey
PTS4 Men
8 – Liam Twomey
12 – Jeremy Peacock
PTS5 Men
9 – Jack Howell
10 – David Bryant
PTVI Men
9 – Sam Harding
PTWC Women
1 – Lauren Parker
PTS2 Women
3 – Anu Francis
PTS4 Women
15 – Sally Pilbeam
16 – Hannah MacDougall
PTVI Women
14 – Maggie Sandles
16 – Caroline Baird
To view the World Triathlon Paralympic Games Qualification Rankings, click here.
To view the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games Nomination Criteria, click here.