Scot Lifts World Title
The listing was posted by Scottish Disability Sport 2
At the recent World Paratriathlon Championships held as part of the ITU World Championships in Budapest (September 11th 2010), Great Britain and Scotland’s Jane Egan won gold in the TRI 1 class from silver medallist Carly Waugh of the USA and bronze medallist Marayke Jonkers of Hungary. 185 athletes from 15 countries participated across the disability groups in this event.
Jane, from Kilbarchan, is now British, European and World Champion in her first full season in paratriathlon. On the journey to Budapest Jane suffered damage to her equipment (paratriathletes in the TRI 1 class use both a handbike and racing wheelchair) which resulted in a buckled wheel and difficulties with the compensator on her chair. Jane overcame this problem with a typically determined performance and carried on her recent good form in road wheelchair racing (recent winner of the Great Scottish Run) to the paratriathlon discipline.
In the event itself Jane opened up a useful lead in the swim, however her American rival turned this around spectacularly on the handbike stage and Jane began the 5k wheelchair push 30 seconds in arrears. Jane’s recent work with the Scottish Disability Sport/Scottish Athletics wheelchair squad and with training partner Ross Low was shown to good effect as she quickly stormed into the lead on the final stage, opening up a winning margin of almost 4 minutes by the end of the race. The GB Paratriathlon manager, Jonathan Riall said “Jane Egan demonstrated that she really is world class.” Jane is already planning a winter of hard work and is keen to try a spring wheelchair marathon if this fits in with her paratriathlon schedule.
Paratriathlon is a relatively new sport and application has been made to the IPC to consider it’s inclusion in the 2016 Paralympic Games. The IPC will decide in December 2010 which new sports may be included for 2016.