In March Nick Wilson will be providing physiotherapy coverage with the Para-triathlon world cup event in Devonport Tasmania. He recently travelled to Paris as a headquarters physiotherapist for the 2024 Paralympic games, where he looked after the triathlon team once they got into the village.
The para-triathlon is set over 3 legs, a 750 metre swim, 20 km cycle and 5 km run. There are several impairment classes that you might see during a paratriathlon event:
PTVI – Vision impaired athletes who will be tethered to a guide for the duration of the event. The guide must only act as a visual aid and not help the athlete gain any advantage.
PTWC – There are 2 classes of wheelchair athletes based on the level of impairments. They use a recumbent bike for the cycle section and racing wheelchair for the run. Lauren Parker famously won gold at Paris in the Wheelchair category.
PTS2-5 – Range of cognitive and body impairments from mild (PTS5) to severe (PTS2) but are able to swim, ride (potentially with bike modifications) and run unaided. Several athletes will run and ride with prosthetic legs and/or arms
As a physiotherapist covering these events the focus is ensuring that the athletes are feeling ready to go come race day. It is typical that during a taper before an event some athletes will notice more niggles which can increase anxiety before an event. Physio’s are in a position to treat these and give the athlete confidence to perform. Some athletes will come in carrying an injury or may be returning from injury so we need to liaise with their treating physio to endure they are looked after pre and post race. In this environment the focus is on athlete performance not their impairments.
Physio also has a role on race day in the event of an acute injury or accident we are there to provide first aid and acute injury management in these circumstances.
Devonport is hosting the first race of the 4 race Paratriathlon World Series on the 14-15th of March with many of the world’s best heading to Tasmania to begin their campaign for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics.
